Paedophile, 33, died in head-on crash with a wall just hours before he was due to be sent to prison for raping a child, inquest hears

A paedophile who was hours away from being sentenced for raping a child, died in a head-on crash with a wall, an inquest has heard.

Matthew Lee Harrison, 33, from Bradford, was pronounced dead at the scene after his Nissan Navara collided with a stone wall shortly after 7am on October 31.

He had been due to appear in Bradford Crown Court later that day for sentencing on charges including two counts of rape of a child, sexual assault of a child, rape, and assault of a child by penetration.

Harrison first appeared in court in 2022 when he was accused. The proceedings were mentioned on October 31 and subsequently rescheduled for November 28. 

At the opening of an inquest into his death at Bradford Coroner’s Court this week, the court heard how the crash took place at the junction of Dryden Street and Buck Street in Bradford, The Telegraph & Argus reports.

A paedophile who was hours away from being sentenced for raping a child, died in a head-on crash with a wall, an inquest has heard

Matthew Lee Harrison, 33, from Bradford, was pronounced dead at the scene after his Nissan Navara collided with a stone wall shortly after 7am on October 31

After suffering multiple injuries, Harrison, who was driving a Nissan Navara, was declared dead at the scene following an attempt to administer CPR.

The inquest heard how Harrison was single and unemployed at the time of the fatal crash.

He was identified by a picture on the police system, the court was told.

Coroner Fleming then adjourned Harrison’s inquest until March 5, 2024.

Buck Street, on the outskirts of Bradford city centre, was cordoned off for most of the day after the crash while police conducted their enquiries.

One woman said: ‘I saw the car this morning. The whole front of the car was smashed in.’

Speaking at the time of the crash, a spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: ‘Enquiries are ongoing after a fatal road traffic collision in Bradford this morning.

‘Police were called at 7.10am to reports a white Nissan Navara had been in collision with a wall on Dryden Street in junction with Buck Street, Bradford.

‘The driver, a 33-year-old, man died at the scene.

‘Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances of the collision.’

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