A motorcyclist died after crashing into a parked car when he had drunk the equivalent of eight pints of lager, an inquest heard.

John Newsome, 27, had been banned from driving at the time of his death for a previous drink-driving offence, the hearing was told yesterday.

He had been drinking with friends at his house in Birkenshaw Lane, Birkenshaw, Bradford, on the afternoon of September 25 last year when his 36-year-old friend Craig Smith let him borrow a Suzuki to go to a shop.

When he returned, witnesses said Mr Newsome appeared to be exceeding the 30mph speed limit.

Neighbour Angela Horsfall said it looked as though Mr Newsome was “trying to floor it” to the top of the road. She said: “His friend was at the side, I thought he was videoing it with a little camera.”

The inquest in Huddersfield heard that Mr Newsome failed to negotiate a slight bend and instead went straight ahead into a kerb, colliding with a parked car. He crashed into a fence and a concrete post before coming to rest in a garden.

Sergeant Carl Quinn told the inquest that legal proceedings had initially been brought against Mr Smith but the matter was withdrawn because of an “administration error by the Crown Prosecution Service”.

When Mr Smith’s phone was examined by police, footage was found of a motorcycle ride from a few days before Mr Newsome’s death.

Sgt Quinn said the recording was “inappropriate” and described the driving of the bike as appearing “extremely dangerous”. The video of the previous incident was still being considered by the CPS.

He also said Mr Smith had shown the video to Mr Newsome, which, he said, could have gone some way toward encouraging him to drive in the manner he did before his death.

During a police interview, Mr Smith said he had not known Mr Newsome would be driving so fast and had waved his arms to indicate he should slow down. He also said he thought Mr Newsome’s disqualification period had ended.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coroner Professor Paul Marks said Mr Newsome suffered a brain haemorrhage and a fractured skull. He said that alcohol “almost certainly played a part” and stated that although he could not find it as a fact Mr Newsome “may have been distracted by attempts to film him”.

After the hearing Mr Newsome’s father, Alan Newsome, said: “They shouldn’t give people keys if they know they’ve had a drink. He shouldn’t have gone on the bike.

“He was a nice lad he had a right good attitude. I’m really lost without him.”