Young couple having drunken row on train track killed instantly by express

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:29 PM on 10th September 2010

A man died as he tried to push his girlfriend out of the path of the speeding train which killed them both, an inquest heard today.

The couple were killed instantly when they were hit by the 11.39 to Liverpool Street as it sped through Turkey Street station in north London.

Sean Derry, 26, jumped down to rescue girlfriend Samantha Hall, 25, when she climbed down onto the line after a row during a drunken night on the town.

The pharmaceutical recruitment agent was trying to push Samantha off the track when they were both hit by through train travelling at 60mph.

Train driver Leslie Bennett told North London Coroners Court: 'In the headlights I could see there were two people on the track next to the platform. My reaction was to put the brake on and sound the horn then look away.

'I reacted exactly as I was trained to do in such a situation, but it was obvious to me that they could not avoid the train, and obviously I could not avoid them.

'They were together and it looked as though they had just seen the train and the gentleman was trying to push the girl out of the way.

'I heard a thud, although I wasn't sure if I had hit one person or two, I didn't know whether the gentleman had got the girl out of the way.' The pair had gone to the pub after work on Friday March 5 this year and got into an argument before receptionist Miss Hall stormed off to nearby Turkey Street station in North London.

They were killed at 12.15am by the 11.39 southbound service from Hertford East to Liverpool Street.

The inquest heard the couple met friends, Paul Langton and Zoe Sitton, in the Turkey pub before going on to the Red Lion nearby.

In a statement read by coroner Andrew Walker describing the evening in the pub, Zoe Sitton said: 'Sam wasn't in an aggressive mood or being troublesome, but she was loud and throwing her arms about.

'For no apparent reason she became angry towards Sean. He tried to calm her down, he was tipsy but passive.' In a statement read to North London Coroners' Court, Mr Langton said: 'Outside the pub Sam said that she was going to stay at a friend's or family member's house. 'But shortly afterwards I noticed Sam and Sean walking together kissing and cuddling so I thought they had sorted out their differences.

'Five minutes later I noticed they were no longer with us so I thought they had gone off to be alone.'

A few minutes later CCTV footage showed Miss Hall arriving at the station alone.

There she sat on the edge of the platform before disappearing from the camera's view. Around 30 seconds later Mr Derry was seen arriving and jumping onto the tracks.

Seconds later they were both killed.

Mr Derry was more than three and a half times over the drink drive limit while Miss Hall was nearly three times over the limit.

Mr Derry, of Cracknell Close, Edmonton, also had a "recreational" amount of cocaine in his system, while Miss Hall, of Carnaby Road, Broxbourne had trace amounts, the court heard.

The jury were shown photographs taken from the front of the train as it approached the couple which showed Mr Derry trying to vain to life Miss Hall onto the platform.

The jury returned unanimous verdicts of accidental death in both cases.

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1310868/Young-couple-killed-instantly-man-tries-push-girlfriend-path-oncoming-express-train.html