Thurrock: Crete Scooter Crash Inquest

27 June 2012, 05:39 | Updated: 27 June 2012, 14:35

A family has pledged to continue their search for justice after a coroner heard how a 24-year-old man from Essex died in an alleged hit-and-run incident while on holiday.

Glen Daly died instantly after the moped he was riding collided with a lorry on the Greek island of Crete in June 2009.

Mr Daly, of Chadwell St Mary, near Grays, was on the third day of his holiday with his friend Tony Atkins when he died.

The lorry driver was charged with negligent homicide.  A civil case found the driver was responsible for the death and said the family could claim compensation but, three years on, the criminal prosecution is ongoing. The next hearing will not take place until February.

An inquest in Chelmsford on Wednesday heard that the coroner, Caroline Beasley-Murray, had faced continual obstacles while probing the death.

She recorded a verdict that Mr Daly died in a road traffic collision but said only limited information had been forthcoming from Greek authorities.

After the inquest, his parents, Les and Dorothy Daly, said they would not rest until they had found justice. Mr Daly said: "We feel the coroner was backed into a corner by the lack of information from the Greek authorities and felt this was the only verdict she could deliver.''

The inquest heard that other than a brief police summary confirming the incident and a post-mortem examination showing Mr Daly died from head injuries, no other information had been provided by Greek investigators.

Mrs Beasley-Murray told the family: "I'm sure you are aware of the difficulties we face investigating deaths overseas. It is often difficult but it has been particularly difficult dealing with the Greek authorities.''

Mrs Daly, who sobbed as the verdict was returned, said outside court: "We will never stop our campaign for justice. We can't rest until it has been proven in court what happened to him.''