Moped rider, 16, died after losing control, inquest told

Kalun Longman had been riding his Aprilia RS50 moped when he was involved in a crash with a transit van on the A483, between Oswestry and Welshpool, at Llanymynech bridge on October 6 last year.

The 16-year-old was on his way to college in Wrexham when the collision happened.

The inquest at Welshpool Magistrates Court was told that Kalun, of Newtown, lost control of his moped, which ended up on its side on the carriageway and slid, but it was uncertain how he lost control.

The teenager's father, Chris Longman, said his son was a "genuine young man who loved life and was loved by his friends".

He said his son, who was studying construction management, had been riding his moped since his 16th birthday in May last year and that he had ridden it every day to work, at GF Grigg Construction in Newtown, as well as to see his girlfriend in Welshpool and to college in Wrexham.

On the day of the crash it was only the fourth time he had travelled to Wrexham on it.

Pc Ian Pathak, Dyfed-Powys collision investigation officer, confirmed the teenager's moped was relatively new but the exhaust had been modified so it could travel at an increased speed.

He said: "I can't say how or why Kalun lost control of the moped."

Kalun had not been using his phone at the time, and there were no drugs or alcohol found in his system according to toxicology tests.

According to Pc Pathak, there were a combination of matters that could have contributed to the teenager losing control including his riding capability and experience.

It was also uncertain at what speed Kalun was travelling at but Mark Colin Williams, who was driving the van that collided with the moped, reported that he did not appear to have been speeding.

Evidence was read aloud by senior coroner for Powys, Andrew Barkley, on behalf of those who witnessed the crash, including Mr Williams.

Mr Williams said Kalun did not appear to be speeding and could not understand how he came off his moped. Pc Pathak also told the hearing there was nothing Mr Williams could have done differently.

He said: "There was no time to react. He would not have been expecting it either. Mr Williams was on the correct side of the road."

Mr Barkley described the teenager's death as a "terrible, terrible tragedy" and offered his condolences to his family.

He recorded that Mr Longman had died from multiple injuries due to a road traffic collision.