Maurice Brame A14 Sproughton inquest to be held in 2025

Maurice Brame, 61 and from Tostock near Bury St Edmunds, was killed on September 21, 2022 after a crash with a lorry^[1] between Sproughton and the Copdock Interchange.

The lorry driver, Sergejs Baikovs of Tattersall Road, Boston, has denied causing the death of Mr Brame by careless or inconsiderate driving. 

A trial commenced in August this year. However, Judge Emma Peters discharged the jury after four hours of deliberation when it became clear they would be unable, even if they were given further time, to reach a verdict. 

Throughout the trial Baikovs, 34, maintained that he did not see Mr Brame’s motorcycle as he approached it and, until he saw the motorcycle and Mr Brame’s body in the road, he believed he had hit an animal or there had been a malfunction in his vehicle.  

In previous hearings the court was told Baikovs was not speeding at the time of the incident, was not using his mobile phone and was not under the influence of drink or drugs. 

Baikovs was originally charged with causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless/inconsiderate driving but, during a previous hearing, Judge Emma Peters had directed the jury to find him not guilty of death by dangerous driving due to insufficient evidence. 

An inquest into Mr Brame’s death was first opened at Suffolk Coroners’ Court in April^[2]. However, on Friday senior coroner for Suffolk Nigel Parsley adjourned a full inquest until January. 

The court heard that a criminal trial is set to take place on January 6. In light of this, Mr Parsley has given a provisional date for an inquest of January 31, 2025.  

References

1. ^{^} killed on September 21, 2022 after a crash with a lorry (www.eadt.co.uk)
2. ^{^} first opened at Suffolk Coroners’ Court in April (www.eadt.co.uk)