Inquest into death of young man who was hit by train in Chesterfield concludes

Lewis Smedley – who had a history of repeated self-harm associated with his diagnosis of personality disorder – died on June 11, 2018.

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The 22-year-old’s inquest has been held at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court this week.

The inquest heard Mr Smedley, who was formerly known as Laura Jane Smedley, went to Chesterfield railway station from the town’s Hartington Unit where he had been assessed under the Mental Health Act.

That assessment concluded Mr Smedley, of Chestnut Avenue, Glapwell, was not to be admitted as a mental health inpatient but he would receive continued multi-agency support in the community.

Peter Nieto, assistant coroner for Derby and Derbyshire, told the court: “Once the assessors and a senior nurse realised that Lewis was possibly heading to the station, there was insufficient time for the police to intervene – although a member of the station staff placed himself at very great risk in trying to persuade and assist Lewis off the rail tracks.”

During the inquest, members of Mr Smedley’s family raised a number of issues.

They voiced concerns around his discharge from the Hartington Unit and said they felt there was not a plan in place for helping Mr Smedley, who ‘regularly’ went on to the tracks at Chesterfield railway station.

Mr Nieto recorded a narrative conclusion at the end of the inquest.

He said: “Lewis’s death resulted from him intentionally placing himself on railway tracks.

“However, on the balance of probabilities, he did not intend his death by that action as CCTV footage clearly shows that Lewis was moving from the track area towards the platform under the encouragement of a member of the station staff immediately before impact with the train.

“As the train was travelling so fast, and was not due to stop, it is likely that Lewis did not realise the degree of risk when he entered the track area because the train would have been at a distance.”

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