County Durham widow left with 'unanswered questions' as inquest into husband's death delayed six months

"The hurt and pain our family continue to face each day remains as raw now as it did the day Aaron passed away."

Those are the words of a young widow who has spoken about her disappointment after an inquest into her husband's death was delayed further. Aaron Morris was just 31 when he died after his off-road Honda motorcycle was involved in a collision with a car in Esh Winning on July 1, 2022 - his pregnant wife's birthday.

Yesterday, 29-year-old widow Samantha Morris told Durham and Darlington Coroners Court about how she was one of the first on the scene of the collision before realising Aaron was involved. She was on her way to meet him following an overnight stay in hospital and the couple, who recently found out they were expecting twins, had planned to travel to the Lake District for a holiday that day.

• Read more: Inquest opens into death of dad-to-be Aaron Morris who died after ambulance delays

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She said: "If I hadn't been in hospital the night before we would have been on our way to the Lakes and he wouldn't have been on his bike."

But today, Samantha, from Ushaw Moor, said she has been left with "many unanswered questions" as Aaron's inquest was postponed until November 11. However, she added that she was "grateful" that Senior Assistant Coroner Crispin Oliver was conducting "a full and detailed inquiry".

The decision to delay the inquest was made after Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAS) was identified as a party of interest in the hearing. The time will allow the service to gather statements while also meeting the availability of witnesses and representatives.

Samantha said: "The day of the collision is something that will remain with me forever. Aaron's death has left a huge void in our lives and the hurt and pain our family continue to face each day remains as raw now as it did the day Aaron passed away.

"While it's nearly two years since Aaron's death, time has stood still for us because of the many unanswered questions. The last couple of days and listening to the evidence has been incredibly distressing but it's something I was determined to do for my husband.

“While I'm disappointed that the inquest won't be concluded this week, I'm grateful that the Coroner is conducting a full and detailed inquiry and I hope that all lessons will be learned at the end of the hearing."

Following Aaron's death, Samantha instructed specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to help establish answers and support at the inquest.

Laura Gabbey-Cristofini, lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Aaron’s family, said: "Aaron's loved ones understandably continue to be profoundly affected by his death which happened in such tragic circumstances. All Samantha wants is for no stone to be left unturned and the most thorough investigation to take place.

"While this adjournment delays the family's wait for answers, they are determined that there is a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Aaron's death. We continue to support Samantha and the rest of Aaron’s family at this emotional time."

The inquest will resume on November 11, 2024, and is expected to last six days.