Stone caused five-year-old boy's mini-motorbike crash death

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Thursday, March 18, 2010
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This is SouthWales

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD boy died after a stone became caught in the engine of the mini motorcycle he was driving, an inquest heard today.

Jake Wilson, from Carmarthen, West Wales, died in hospital after suffering fatal head injuries while practising figures of eight at the town's cattle market ground.

Detective Sergeant Neil Jenkins, of Dyfed Powys Police, told the inquest that Jake's father, Robert, had taken Jake and his brother Connor, aged 10, to the ground on December 27 last year.

Jake was driving at 25mph (40kph) on his KTM 50cc mini-motorcycle when his father realised there was something wrong with the machine.

"The motorcycle made a distinctive noise as if it had been opened to full throttle.

"Robert saw it pick up speed. It was quickly heading towards the wall.

"Both Connor and Robert ran after the bike but failed to catch it before it hit the wall," he said

Jake suffered serious injuries to his head and face and died in hospital later, the inquest at Llanelli heard.

The youngster, who was an experienced rider and a member of the K-Quads Motorcycle Club, had been wearing the appropriate clothing and a helmet, he added.

Jake had visited the cattle market ground three times before to practise motorbike skills and had ridden the bike 10 times, the detective said.

Apart from the two buckets set up so the boy could practise the figures of eight, there were no other obstructions in the ground and, when the vehicle was inspected, it was found to be in good working order with no wear and tear or defect.

"On examination of the carburettor a small stone was discovered within the housing.

"It is believed that the stone may have become stuck or trapped within the piston," Mr Jenkins added.

This may have caused the noise Mr Wilson heard and was why the throttle stuck, he added.

Coroner John Owen recorded a verdict of accidental death and told Jake's parents: "I can only offer my most sincere and deep sympathy on the terrible loss that you suffered."

After his death his devastated parents said their son was their "beacon of joy" in a statement issued by police.

They also spoke of his talent for motorcycling, revealing he had won all three club championships in the Welsh grass track calendar in 2009.

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    by leslie, North Wales

    Monday, February 07 2011, 11:05AM

    “Poor little Jake, Why O Why did his father not use his brain and think of all the dangers around before putting little five year old Jake on such a dangerous machine, where is the law when its needed, parents should be held accountable for there actions especially when it involves the life of a young innocent child, people say poor parents they have to live with this, and so they should, because of him poor jake will never see another Christmas Birthday and will never sit on the floor playing with his toys like most five year olds, why did his father buy him a motor bike, perhaps it was because his father wanted his son to be the person he never was? Any responsible parent would know a machine like that, in that sort of an environment could kill a child of that age, in a public carpark surrounded by brick walls and covered with tarmac, allvery dangerous for such a young body to come in contact with, it's beyond, if he felt the need to put his son life at risk a such a machine why did he not start him off in a grass field for five or six years, until he had gained some proper experience, his father said he had lots of experience, I say at five years old when did he gain all this experience, yes his father has to live with this, I say so he should, He ended that childs life, because of is actions.
    In responc to Michael of Swansea, a good parent raps there children in cotton wool for as many years as possible, then carries on trying to protect them for as many more years as you are able, as for the other remark, being a country person i can assure you we do not put our childrens lives at risk by putting them on machinery at that age.”

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    by Melissa, Swansea

    Friday, March 19 2010, 7:19PM

    “His family told me he was an amazing little boy. Something so horrible never should've happened to an innocent child. His dad was watching him and making sure he wasn't in any obvious danger, and they also bought him all the protective clothing he needed to be safe when he was using it. After doing that, there's no reason he shouldn't have been doing what he enjoyed. They couldn't have prevented the accident at all. Everyone misses you loads, you'll never be forgotten Jake x”

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    by Andy, Swansea

    Friday, March 19 2010, 9:36AM

    “Well said Michael, I think the memory of this poor little lad would be better served by sparing a thought for the living hell his parents have to endure every waking second of every day. To question them as parents with no knowledge of who they are and no more understanding of the incident other than what can be read in a newspaper shows a total lack of understanding of what they are going through and of the agony of loosing a child under any circumstances. Your post sayes far more about you Teifion than aparently you realise.”

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    by michael, swansea

    Friday, March 19 2010, 8:10AM

    “Teifion, where do we draw the line, we cant wrap them up in cotton wool, i bet many many youngsters in rural areas can drive a tractor before they can spell properly, this lad was obviously very talented for such a young age, he had all the correct safety equipment, if it was not for the 1 in a million chance of a stone getting stuck in the carb this would never have happened, it is a tragic accident which occurred even when his parents had taken all safety precautions, if it was not for people like this we would have no Lewis Hamiltons or Valentino Rossi's as they all started off at a very young age, my heart goes out to his family and friends at there terrible loss.”

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    by Teifion, LLandovery

    Friday, March 19 2010, 6:42AM

    “The poor little kid should never have been playing on a bike in the first place.
    the parents I recall complained that the journal got it wrong when they stated the child had had a new bike but that he'd had it for a few months - so what?
    Parents should behave as parents sometimes”

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