horrific crash.

Mr. Jerome Belboda, of Gatehouse Park, Southampton, was killed when his car hit a Belco pole, went through a fence and careered down an embankment in February.

Mr. Belboda suffered terrible head injuries when the four-by-four railing from the fence smashed through the front windscreen of his car.

Although he probably died instantly, when his neck was broken, he was found in a position that may have indicated he lived for some seconds after the impact.

Sgt. Patrick Hamlett, the Police officer, who had been chasing Mr. Belboda's speeding car, told a packed Coroner's Court, that he had given up the pursuit because it was too fast for the wet conditions that evening, Sunday, February 28.

Family and friends of Mr. Belboda packed the court yesterday to hear the gruesome details of his death.

In the evening of Saturday, February 27, Mr. Belboda had met a friend Ms Jenee Paynter outside the Spinning Wheel and gave her a ride home to Southampton in his mother's red Suzuki car. He had dropped her off at her home and was heading back towards Hamilton. She said he had not been drinking.

The car was next seen by taxi driver Mr. Derrick Crofton who was taking three people to Dockyard, along Middle Road.

Mr. Crofton said: "It passed me at fast speed. In my experience as a taxi driver I would estimate the speed to be 60-65 k.p.h. One of my passengers said: `That guy must be crazy to be travelling at that speed'.'' Sgt. Hamlett was sitting in a marked Police car outside the Somerset Bridge Recreation Club. He said: "I heard a loud sounding engine coming towards me, then I saw a small car travelling at what appeared to be a fast speed. It then overtook another car.

"I followed it. I switched on my Police emergency equipment. The distance continued to increase between the red car and the Police car.'' The Police officer said that he was travelling at around 70 k.p.h. but then slowed down to about 50 k.p.h. He said: "Considering the road conditions, which were wet, I decided not to pursue the car. There had been intermittent showers that night and flashes of lightning.'' Sgt. Hamlett last saw the car as it went round the bend before Evans Bay Road.

He then saw a flash but believed it was a flash of lightning.

On reaching the bend he saw a pole in the road and debris. He continued to Evans Bay Road and turned the car around. He said: "I felt a pole in the road was a hazard and should be reported immediately. I had already given up the chase of the vehicle.'' Sgt. Hamlett returned to the scene and met taxi driver Mr. Glenn Hall who had heard the crash.

Mr. Hall said he believed the car had gone through the fence and finally spotted the wreck at the bottom of the embankment. Mr. Belboda was slumped between the seats. The railing was embedded in the car's windscreen and about four feet inside the vehicle.

The Fire Service removed the body from the car and attempted to resuscitate Mr. Belboda. He was taken by ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Lawyer for Mr. Belboda's family Mr. Michael Scott questioned Sgt. Hamlett about whether he had been "in hot pursuit'' of the red car when the accident happened. Sgt. Hamlett repeated that he had given up the chase and radioed to the Police communications centre that there was a speeding car.

Pathologist Dr. John Winwick examined Mr. Belboda's body. He said there were serious injuries to his face, a broken spine at the neck, a broken collar bone and right arm and cuts to his body.

He said he believed the victim had died immediately. He said: "I doubt if he would have known anything about it.'' But Mr. Scott said: "A witness said his hands were between his legs, suggesting trauma.'' Dr. Winwick replied: "The actual cause of death was the fracture of the neck.

He may have moved his head after the impact and died. But the possibility is that it was only a few seconds.'' The inquest continues today.