Wigan biker died in horror crash after having 'one last go' before he sold it, inquest hears

A young dad was killed after he lost control of his motorbike while performing a 'wheelie' on his 'last ride' before he intended to sell it, an inquest heard.

Anthony Draper, 29, had agreed to sell his KTM bike to another man just moments before he crashed into a concrete gate post near to his home in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester.

Mr Draper suffered multiple fatal injuries and died at the scene on Rutland Road on 18 April.

An inquest at Bolton Coroner's Court yesterday (July 13) heard that Mr Draper had invited two men to his home to view the bike that evening.

After one of the men agreed to buy it, Mr Draper told him: "I'll have one last go."

The inquest heard Mr Draper then climbed on the bike without a helmet or protective clothing and rode off up the street.

After turning the bike around, witnesses recalled seeing Mr Draper 'pull a wheelie' before losing control and smashing into a concrete gate post outside a house.

Friends performed first aid on Mr Draper but he was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

In a statement read out in court, his mother Jennifer Draper said 'words cannot describe how the family feel' following her son's death.

Ms Draper said: "You never imagine someone is going to die at the age of 29."

Ms Draper told the hearing that her son had an 'obsession' with motorbikes and had ridden them since a young age.

Adam Brownhill said he and his friend, Mark, had visited Mr Draper's home at about 10pm on 18 April to view an orange KTM bike he was selling.

He said Mr Draper informed them he was selling the bike as he had fallen off it six months earlier and broken his leg.

After checking the bike by riding it up and down the street, Mr Brownhill said his friend decided to buy it.

After agreeing on a price, Mr Brownhill said Mr Draper told his friend: "I'll have one last go."

Mr Draper's partner, Jodie Newcomb, said that after agreeing to 'one last ride', Mr Draper got on the bike without a helmet, which she said was unusual for him, and rode off up the street. He then turned the bike around and 'pulled a wheelie' but 'lost control', she said.

Ms Newcomb said: "He looked as though he was being dragged along. He had hold of the handlebars and was trying to get control of the bike."

The inquest heard that after crashing into the gate post, Mr Draper stood up before collapsing in the road. Dr David Barker, a consultant pathologist, gave Mr Draper's cause of death as 'multiple injuries'.

Toxicology tests showed Mr Draper had traces of cannabis and cocaine in his system, but Dr Barker said it was not possible to say whether the drugs had impacted him at the time of the crash.

The inquest also heard from PC Cooper, a collision reconstruction officer, who said there were no problems with the road surface and that the crash had been due to 'rider error'.

He said CCTV footage showed Mr Draper attempting to cling to the bike's handlebars after becoming unseated during the wheelie manoeuvre. PC Cooper said the bike then travelled for about 40 metres before smashing into the gate post.

Ruling that Mr Draper's death had been due to a road traffic collision, the coroner, Alan Walsh, issued a warning to motorcyclists.

Mr Walsh said: "People should be aware of the dangers of performing wheelies on motorcycles and the dangers of riding motorcycles in that manner. It's so easy to lose control."