Inquests into Westminster attack deaths: '82 seconds' tore lives apart

The lives of many were ruined by "eighty-two seconds of high and terrible drama" at Westminster last year, inquests have heard.

Four members of the public died on 22 March after Khalid Masood drove into them as they walked along Westminster Bridge.

They were American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Romanian tourist Andreea Cristea, 31.

Masood then fatally stabbed a police officer - PC Keith Palmer - who had been guarding the Palace of Westminster.

The inquests into the deaths opened on Monday and were dominated by tributes to those killed and distressing footage of the attack.

Chief coroner Mark Lucraft QC told the court: "The lives of many were torn apart by 82 seconds of high and terrible drama."

He then warned the court, which included many of the victims' relatives, that some of the footage to be shown would be "graphic and shocking".

Gareth Patterson QC, who represents three of the victims' families, said the images showed Masood was "deliberately targeting pedestrians".

He said it appeared people were being hit like "human bowling pins" and "thrown in the air like rag dolls".

He said witnesses had described "the noise and the repeated thuds and bangs of the impact".

The inquests heard that Masood's vehicle had mounted the pavement at 14.40.08 and within 30 seconds had hit the four pedestrians and crashed into railings at the Palace of Westminster.

Detective Superintendent John Crossley said that Masood "would have seen and heard every impact as he drove over the bridge".

Earlier in the hearing, there was a minute's silence for the victims and tributes were read by their loved ones.

Mr Cochran had died at the scene after pushing his wife Melissa out of Masood's path, the inquests heard.

Melissa's sister Angela Stoll read a tribute on her behalf.

She described Mr Cochran as "my inspiration, my rock star, and most of all my hero".

Amanda Rhodes, niece of Mr Rhodes, said her family had been "devastated" and "incredibly angry" about the death of a man who "would do anything to help anyone who needed it".

Mr Rhodes had been dragged under Masood's vehicle for 33 metres and died the next day from head injuries.

Mrs Frade's widow John recalled the day he first met her in 1996, her smile like the sun "popping out from behind a cloud", he said.

She was hit from behind and thrown into a bus lane, where she was run over by a bus and died from a head injury.

Some of Ms Cristea's family watched proceedings from the British Embassy in Bucharest and a video tribute was played describing her as a "lovely, enchanting and life-loving" woman who had a busy interior design business.

Ms Cristea was thrown off Westminster Bridge, where she had been walking with her boyfriend, falling 12.5 metres into the Thames.

She was found nearly nine minutes later but never regained consciousness, dying on 6 April when her life support was switched off.

PC Palmer's sister Angela said he had "died protecting strangers whilst doing his job, and he will be remembered by many for his courage and bravery".

The police officer had struggled with Masood but had stumbled and fallen. Masood had then stabbed him before being distracted by two of PC Palmer's colleagues.

There were no armed officers near the scene at the time, something that will be examined during the inquests.

PC Palmer had managed to escape but collapsed and, despite first aid from the public, his colleagues, paramedics and air ambulance crews, he died at the scene.

Masood was confronted by an armed close protection officer, who shot him three times after he refused to drop the two knives he had been holding.

The inquests continue on Tuesday.

A separate inquest into the death of Masood will be held before a jury.