Girl killed in school bus crash 'was wearing seatbelt'

A teenager who died when a school bus crashed on a motorway was one of the few on board wearing a seatbelt at the time, an inquest has heard.

Jessica Baker, 15, from Chester, was on her way to West Kirby Grammar School in Wirral on Merseyside, when the coach crashed on the northbound side of the M53 just after 08:00 BST on 29 September.

The inquest in Liverpool heard driver Stephen Shrimpton, 40, who also died, was suffering heart disease which caused him to collapse at the wheel.

The coroner said Jessica's post-mortem examination showed bruising consistent with wearing a seatbelt.

Andre Rebello, senior coroner for Liverpool and Wirral, said CCTV showed many on the bus were "unrestrained" but Jessica appeared to be sitting in place, "not moving in the same way everyone else is moving".

Mr Rebello said: "It would be my ruling it is more likely than not that Jessica was wearing a seatbelt at the time of this collision."

About 50 students, travelling to West Kirby and Calday Grange grammar schools, were on the coach at the time of the crash.

The inquest heard CCTV showed Mr Shrimpton, who was not wearing a seatbelt, slump to his left-hand side before the vehicle left the motorway, went up an embankment, hit a tree and rolled back on to the hard shoulder.

Mr Rebello said a post-mortem examination showed the driver had extensive ischemic heart disease which could have caused an abrupt collapse and sudden death.

The court heard the test results could explain symptoms of chest and arm pain which he had described the evening before the collision, but it was not clear whether he had symptoms that morning.

Mr Rebello said no inquest was held into Mr Shrimpton's death as it was due to natural causes.

In a statement released after the crash, Mr Shrimpton's family said he was a "loving husband and father to his wife and his wonderful children, a caring and thoughtful man who would always prioritise others over himself".

Jessica's cause of death was a head injury and Mr Rebello recorded a conclusion of road traffic collision.

Jessica's parents nurses Sean Baker and Sarah Merrington, were in court for the hearing, with Mr Rebello telling the family: "I know she was very much loved."

Her family previously paid tribute to the talented climber, who they described as a "warm-hearted, wonderful daughter, granddaughter and niece, devoted sister and loyal friend".

A fundraiser was launched to have a climbing wall built in her memory.

After the crash, four other children were taken to hospital, including a 14-year-old boy whose injuries were said to be "life-changing", according to Merseyside Police.

Others were handled at an emergency training centre, with 13 treated for minor injuries before they were released.

After the inquest was opened in October, Mr Rebello issued a prevention of future deaths report which raised concerns about the use of seatbelts as CCTV did not show they were being used.

In the report, which was sent to the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Education, Mr Rebello said: "A distinction should be drawn between school buses in built-up areas and school commuter coaches travelling a distance using A roads and the motorway network - with regard to the availability and use of seatbelts."

Lawyers for the coach company, Carvers Coaches, and a child who was seriously injured in the collision attended the inquest, along with a lawyer representing Jessica's family.

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