A local council has been blamed for failing to keep up with its road conditions, which caused an elderly man to crash and lose his life.
North Northamptonshire Council has been engulfed in a fierce legal battle after its poorly maintained roads caused the death of Robert Newcombe, who was riding his motorbike at the time.
The rider, who was 70 at the time, died in September 2022 after being thrown from his motorbike due to a pothole in the road.
The retiree was travelling to an event along the A43 when he was unexpectedly forced off his bike while trying to overtake another road user along the popular stretch.
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The incident occured in 2022 while the rider was travelling to an event
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An investigation found that Newcombe suffered severe head injuries and a broken neck as a result of the road issue before going into cardiac arrest.
The incident prompted an inquest report, which found that the cause of death was a "degraded road surface", making the council at risk of being found liable.
The widow of the rider, Aileen Newcombe, has been fighting for "substantial damages" as a result of the incident, with the council facing legal uncertainties.
Previously, the 71-year-old claimed the council insinuated that the blame for the accident was on the rider overtaking her husband rather than the road condition.
Despite the inquest finding the road to be the cause of death, the local authority has denied any wrongdoing, with the case now going before the judge unless the widow and the council can reach an agreement.
A spokesperson for North Northamptonshire Council told GB News: "Any death on the road is a sad and tragic event, and we offer our condolences to the family and friends.
"As this relates to ongoing legal proceedings, we do not feel that it would be appropriate to say anything further at this stage."
The widow explained that the need for compensation follows reports that the road surface had "melted and re-solidified due to poor quality repairs", creating a "dangerous, undulating carriageway".
The bereaved widow told The Telegraph: "The council have never said anything to me, nothing by way of an apology or sympathies, all I want is for them to take responsibility.
"They are just trying to wash their hands of it - even claiming things which went against what a coroner, the police and several witnesses said at the inquest. They claimed he was speeding and made a dangerous manoeuvre, which is not the case. They have tried to blame him and I’m not having it.
"The nation has enough money to make sure the roads are maintained properly. The council knew about this pothole and the state of the road."
She explained that on the day of the crash, "there were no warnings about the state of the road," with the incident and injustice meaning she has "not really had a chance to grieve with this hanging over me".
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The bereaved widow accused the council of failing to ensure road conditions were kept up
GETTYKen Brough, personal injury lawyer at Hodge Jones & Allen, who is representing the widow in the case, added: "No family should have to suffer the pain of a loved one not returning from a motorbike ride.
"Sadly, the inquest into the death of Robert Newcombe concluded that he lost his life as a direct result of the poor state of the road on which he was driving. The raised and rippled surface caused [the rider] to be thrown off his bike, resulting in his death.
"All councils have a responsibility to ensure they adequately inspect and maintain all roads, regardless of whether this critical process is outsourced or conducted in-house."
He added that he was "hopeful" North Northamptonshire council would settle the civil case "swiftly and make sure lessons are learnt, protecting future lives."
