Dr Peter Newbon inquest: Northumbria University lecturer died after falling off bridge over A64 in North Yorkshire

Dr Peter Jonathan Hewitt Newbon, 38, who had taught humanities at Northumbria University since 2012, left his home in the village of Norton, near Malton, on January 15 last year after a disagreement with his wife.

Several drivers saw him walking along the grass verge near the Brambling Fields interchange in an area with poor street lighting and no footpaths, and one couple saw him leaning over the bridge over the A64 looking at his mobile phone.

A couple returning from a shopping trip in York with their two children were driving along the A64, which is a dual carriageway at that location, eastbound when the driver, Emma Barker, saw a ‘dark figure’ fall from the bridge above. She managed to swerve and avoid Dr Newbon, who had landed in a stretch of the road with a 70mph limit, but he was struck by four cars following her while lying prone in the carriageway.

The inquest at North Yorkshire Coroner’s Court was told that the incident occurred just after 5pm when conditions were dark and foggy, with visibility on the road poor.

Giving evidence, police forensic collision investigator Paul Harris told the inquest that CCTV had captured Dr Newbon walking from Norton towards the interchange along the main road. He said the drop from the bridge to the road was 6.73 metres, and none of the cars which struck Dr Newbon were found to be defective or their drivers speeding.

Dr Newbon sent a text message to a family member telling them he loved them just before he fell.

Traffic Constable Harris added that due to the darkness and Dr Newbon’s dark clothing, it would have been ‘difficult for the drivers to identify him as a hazard’. His accident report was not able to specify whether Dr Newbon’s multiple fatal injuries were caused by the fall or the collisions. He added: “There was insufficient time for the drivers to perceive a hazard and avoid a collision.”

A postmortem found no alcohol or drugs in Dr Newbon’s system.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, assistant coroner for North Yorkshire Jonathan Leach said he was ‘satisfied there was intent’ by the Leeds-born lecturer to end his life.

A Northumbria University research group into 18th-century and Romantic literature that Dr Newbon belonged to said in tribute: “In January 2022 we lost our colleague Dr Pete Newbon. This has deeply saddened members of the research group, of which Pete was an important part. Pete joined Northumbria in 2012. He was a good colleague and friend, and an inspiring and hugely knowledgeable academic.

"Pete will be particularly remembered for his great love of poetry and his wonderful anecdotes about the escapades of his three daughters. Pete was working on an unfolding project to recover the poetry of Hartley Coleridge, a project on which he often spoke with great passion.”

Dr Newbon, who was Jewish, was well-known as a campaigner against anti-semitism. His death attracted national media attention due to a Twitter row he had become involved in with the children’s author Michael Rosen, which had resulted in him receiving abusive messages from users of the social media platform. However, none of this background was admitted as evidence in the hearing and was not referred to.

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