Roundabout death driver would have died 'almost instantly' inquest told

A man who died after crashing his car into a roundabout then layundiscovered beneath dense undergrowth for a week would have been killed almost instantaneously, an inquest has heard.

Darren Stephenson-Bennett was seen drinking whiskey and beer at a partybefore his silver Renault Megane Scenic ploughed into chevron boards and trees on the roundabout at the junction of the A68 and A1(M) on the outskirts of Darlington.

The inquest heard how the newly-married 28-year-old was seen leaving aparty in Thompson Street West, Darlington, on the evening of Saturday, August 27.

His worried family reported him missing on Tuesday, August 30.

The car, containing his body, was eventually spotted by a motorist at11.30am on Saturday September 3 - seven days after he was last seen leaving the party.

Durham deputy coroner Crispin Oliver said evidence from CCTV on passingbuses revealed the accident happened sometime between 10pm and 11pm that night.

Footage showed 10 of the roundabout's black and white chevron boards inplace just before 10pm - however an hour later there were just eight.

He said given the evidence from those at the party, there was a "highpossibility" Mr Stephenson-Bennett, originally from Darlington, but livingin Newton Aycliffe, was over the drink drive limit at the time of the crash.

His car came to rest several metres into the roundabout in thickundergrowth and was well hidden.

During the week he was missing, many thousands of motorists would havepassed the scene.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, the coroner said MrStephenson-Bennett suffered a serious brain injury and possibly died instantaneously or within an hour of the crash.

At the time his family described him as a popular and much-loved familyman.

Police issued several appeals to find Mr Stephenson-Bennett, who leavesthree children, and conducted "extensive enquiries" - including searches ofstreets, lay-bys and car parks, house-to-house inquiries and checking CCTV and circulating details of his car as well as deploying the police helicopter.

After the inquest, Mr Stephenson-Bennett’s family thanked DurhamConstabulary for the work they had done in the case.