A MOTORBIKE rider fled from police moments before he was involved in a fatal crash, an inquest heard.

Officers attempted to stop father-of-two Khan May after incorrect number plates on the bike he was riding flagged up an issue on the police’s system.

As officers approached, the 21-year-old made off on the bike and moments later was seen by witnesses travelling at speeds of around 60mph down the 30mph Holdenhurst Road in Bournemouth.

As he approached Windham Road he crashed into a white Transit as the driver attempted a right turn.

Mr May, of Haviland Road, Boscombe, suffered a fatal head injury and died at the scene of the crash, on January 22.

Yesterday, at his inquest at Bournemouth Coroner’s Court, Mr May’s death was ruled to be the result of a road traffic collision.

The inquest heard how police first came across Mr May, a bike enthusiast, after he was seen riding a Triumph Tiger along Richmond Park Road towards Boscombe around 6pm.

Special Constables Rob Scott and Paul Trevitt said how they had started to follow Mr May after his number plate triggered their vehicle’s automated number plate recognition (ANPR) system – which flagged an allegation of failing to appear at court.

The inquest later heard the plates were not those registered to the vehicle and did not link to Mr May, nor his address.

SC Trevitt told the court that as they pulled up alongside the bike he locked eyes with Mr May, who then fled out of sight of the officers.

SC Scott said the pair did not give chase and instead began heading towards the address linked to the number plates.

The inquest heard how witnesses saw Mr May speeding towards Holdenhurst Road, narrowly avoiding a collision near to the Springbourne Fire Station.

Another witness, Robert Frost, said he saw Mr May riding “very fast” towards the junction of Windham Road.

He said: “I didn’t know if it was a moment of like motorbike rider unawareness, but he opened it up [accelerated] like he was trying to beat the van as it turned right.

“I still remember the thud. I ran towards him but there was nothing I could do.”

The driver of the van, James Marlowe, who was on his way home at the time, told the inquest he did not see or hear the bike as he attempted to make the right turn into Windham Road.

An expert report by Dorset Police said the speed of Mr May’s vehicle, estimated from CCTV footage to be around 60mph, mixed with the impact of streetlights and headlights from other vehicles, meant Mr Marlowe would likely not have seen the motorbike coming.

The court also heard that the Crown Prosecution Service had decided not to take any action against Mr Marlowe.

The two officers were cleared of any wrongdoing following investigation by the Indepedent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

In ruling Mr May’s death as a result of a road traffic collision, Assistant Coroner Richard Middleton said: “It seems to me that there was no time for Mr Marlowe to react to the oncoming motorbike having made the turn.

“It seems Mr May was somewhat distracted by the idea that he was being chased by a police car.”

In a statement, read out in court, Mr May’s mother, Tanya Miller, described her son as a “very loving person”.

She said: “He would always do anything to help anyone.

“His death has left a massive hole in our family’s life.

“There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think about him.”

Born in Bournemouth, Mr May attended Pokesdown Primary School and later Bicknell School.

Mr May's family said motorbikes were his passion and that he had taught himself how to fix them.