A British TV boss was killed in Qatar when she was hit by a speeding motorbike during a Fast and Furious-style illegal ROAD RACE, an inquest has heard.
Kerry Rome – who was the first female technical director at TV channel Al Jazeera – died as she crossed the road after a night out on April 20, 2012.
Police initially believed the 33-year-old’s death was a tragic accident but it later emerged the reckless biker didn’t have a driving licence and was racing a friend at the time.
A 21-year-old man was convicted of killing Kerry in a Qatari court in 2012 with a judge describing his speed as “excessive”.
An inquest at Stamford Town Hall on Tuesday heard blonde Kerry was run over as she crossed a road after a night out with colleagues from the TV station.
Moments after stepping into the road she was struck by the motorcyclist as he attempted to under-take his friend.
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Giving evidence, Kerry’s mother Margaret, 62, described the moment she found out about her daughter’s death as “the worst phone call of my life”.
She added: “My lovely daughter Kerry would be here today if that reckless, dangerous motorcyclist had not been racing with a friend at 2am in the morning.”
Kerry’s widower Mark Harris, 35, also paid tribute to his late wife, who he married in an Elvis-themed wedding just months earlier in Las Vegas.
Mark, originally from Market Deeping Lincs., said: “Kerry was an amazing person. She was kind, generous, there to help and never had a bad word to say about anyone.
“We were career-oriented adults who relocated abroad to make a good life and good careers for ourselves.
“This was all taken away by a man who was out racing a motorbike with his friends.”
A toxicology report carried out in Qatar found 296mg of alcohol per 100ml in Kerry’s blood – the equivalent to 14.4 British units.
Three of the technical director’s colleagues told the hearing she did not appear drunk on the night she died.
Oliver Walker said: “We had a few drinks but nothing major as we were dancing close to the stage.
“It’s not like we were pounding shots at the bar.”
South Lincolnshire coroner Professor Robert Forrest said: “It had appeared that the motorcyclist was undertaking one of his companions when the collision took place.”
He added that there was insufficient evidence to record a verdict of unlawful killing.
A friend of the family said today: “The family are obviously disappointed that the coroner effectively delivered a verdict of accidental death.
“It is the family’s position that Kerry was not killed in an accident. The motorcyclist hit her during an illegal road race.
“If he had not been taking part in an illegal activity Kerry would still be here today.”
Kerry and her husband Mark moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2008 when she became the first female technical director of live news at Al Jazeera English.
They then transferred to Doha in October 2011 when Kerry was promoted to Al Jazeera English’s head office.
Speaking after the inquest, mum Margaret said: “She was such a vivacious person and so full of life.
“Considering how young she was she has done so much in her life.
“When we went out there and saw what life was like we realised how strong a person she was.
“We are all so incredibly proud of her and what she did.”
Sister Kirsty added: “We were all really close, she loved her family. She did more in her 33 years than most do in a lifetime.”
Verdict: death caused as a result of a road traffic collision.
