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captain cab
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 12:40 am 
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University graduate dies falling from cliff after running from taxi in attempt to avoid fare

Jacob Huw Phillips fell to his death in Penarth on December 28 last year following a night out with friends in Cardiff

A young man fell to his death after running from a taxi to avoid paying a fare from Cardiff to Penarth, an inquest has heard.

Jacob Huw Phillips, known as Jake, 23, had been socialising with friends in Cardiff on December 27 last year.

Mr Phillips, who lived in Reading and was known as Jake, had been visiting his father in Barry and later decided to go out in Cardiff with friends.

He had been staying with his mother in Cowbridge over Christmas.

At around 2am on December 28 Mr Phillips got into a taxi in Cardiff with his friends Padraig Crowley and Rory Robinson.

The three were picked up by David Sidaway who took them to Penarth.

Mr Sidaway said: “The three males got out of the taxi at an ATM. I assumed they were taking cash out.”

Group became separated

Mr Robinson said: “The plan was to go to Penarth but we had not enough money for the taxi. We stopped by Padraig’s house and discussed that we should run from the taxi and not pay. I ran off in the direction of Padraig’s house, Jacob followed in another direction.

“Running away from the taxi was a stupid thing to do.”

The boys were separated and Mr Phillips, who studied accounting at the University of Birmingham, did not return to the house that night and his friends could not make contact with him.

Mr Sidaway told the inquest he followed Mr Phillips down several streets in Penarth until he lost him behind a building. He described where they were as “absolutely pitch black”.

He said: “I could hear him climbing something and I stopped. I couldn’t walk any further because I couldn’t see where I was going.

“I had no idea how much danger he as in. I wouldn’t have left him if I had known.”

Sheer drop

Mr Phillips’ body was discovered by a dog walker the following morning at the end of the disused Northern Promenade – also called The Dardanelles – an area of rocky foreshore at the base of the cliff between Cardiff Bay and Penarth.

Senior coroner Andrew Barkley recorded a conclusion of accidental death.

He said: “In the early hours of December 28, 2014, he took a taxi back with friends to Penarth. It is clear they intended to pay the fare by the fact they stopped at the ATM on the way.

“He knew the area but not necessarily where Mr Crowley lived. He did not know the area when he was being pursued by Mr Sidaway. It is clear from the evidence I have heard he had consumed a relatively large amount of alcohol.

“There is no way either could have known the danger that lay in front of him. The following day with the benefit of light it was clear the danger he faced by the sheer drop off the cliff that was just yards beyond the fence.

“It is likely that he became disorientated and there is no evidence that he knew where he was at the time. Therefore I dismiss suicide as a possibility. I conclude his death was an accident.”

He said he would write to the local authority to make it aware of the incident.

source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... th-9006689

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captain cab
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 12:41 am 
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University graduate dies falling from cliff


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toots
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 12:49 am 
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High price to pay

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gusmac
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 1:16 am 
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He'll not do that again. :shock:

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Bart
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 8:20 am 
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Karma is a bitch :)

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