James Hunter

James Hunter was found unconscious by the side of a road and later died in hospital.

He had been to a party at the Masonic Hall in Bridgford on the Friday night when he went off with eight other people in a two-seat car. They were all friends and four of the passengers were girls. There were four people in the front seat and five in the Dickey. They had gone four miles out along the Loughborough Road for a joy-ride and after a short stop returned to the hall.

When they got back one of the girls said that she realised that she had lost her hat and went out again with the owner of the car and another man to get it. They said that James Hunter had said that he had wanted to go with them but that they had told him that there was no room. They then drove out to the place where they had stopped where the girl found her hat.

However, on the way back they said that they saw James Hunter lying in the road unconscious. They took him straight to the hospital where he died.

It was suggested that James Hunter might have got on the spare wheel that was on the back of the car for a ride but they said that if he had done that then none of them had seen him do it.

The medical evidence stated that he had died from a fracture to the base of his skull.

An open verdict was returned stating that he had died from injuries the cause of which were unknown.

He was a draper's buyer and had lived on Commercial Street in Leeds.