Child sex offender dies in horror car crash in Bradford hours before sentencing

14 November 2023 , 17:59

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Matthew Lee Harrison, from Bradford, died in a car crash on October 31 (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A child sex offender died in a collision just hours before his sentencing, court documents have revealed.

Matthew Lee Harrison, from Bradford, died in a car crash on October 31 at 7:09am after his car collided with a wall in the city. The 33-year-old was due to appear in Bradford Crown Court later that day for sentencing on charges including two counts of rape of a child, sexual assault of a child, rape, and assault of a child by penetration.

The court first addressed the case in 2022 when Harrison was accused. The proceedings were mentioned on October 31 and subsequently rescheduled for November 28.

An inquest at Bradford Coroners Court, conducted by Senior Coroner Martin Fleming on November 13, revealed that Harrison died from multiple injuries sustained in the collision. Driving a Nissan Navara, he was declared dead at the scene following an attempt to administer CPR.

The 33-year-old was due to appear in Bradford Crown Court later that day (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

At the time, he was single and unemployed, with police identifying him through a photo identification system. The inquest was adjourned until March 5, 2024. One woman told Telegraph & Argus : "I saw the car this morning. The whole front of the car was smashed in."

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At the time, a West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "Enquiries are ongoing after a fatal road traffic collision in Bradford this morning. Police were called at 7.10am to reports a white Nissan Navara had been in collision with a wall on Dryden Street in junction with Buck Street, Bradford.

"The driver, a 33-year-old, man died at the scene. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances of the collision. Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to call police on 101 quoting log 190 of 31/10." Buck Street, located off Leeds Road on the outskirts of Bradford city centre, was cordoned off for most of the day as police conducted their investigations.

Zesha Saleem