Death by misadventure verdict in fatal Dunlop crash

A jury has returned a verdict of death by misadventure into a fatal motorcycle collision involving a leading figure in international motorsport, William Dunlop, during a road race in north Dublin five years ago.

The finding was made at the end of a three-day inquest at Dublin District Coroner's Court which heard that a garda investigation had concluded that the fatal crash involving the well-known Northern Ireland sports star was "nothing other than an accident."

Superintendent Edwards Carroll told the hearing that there was no suggestion of any criminality in relation to Mr Dunlop’s death.

However, an expert report commissioned by the deceased’s family, which found his motorcycle was "too low to the ground," was not admitted as evidence by the coroner, Dr Cróna Gallagher.

She said it seemed that suggestions made in the report that there might be something "inherently defective" with the vehicle would be more properly addressed in a different forum.

Supt Carroll said the evidence collected from many witnesses as part of a "lengthy and complex investigation" pointed to a mechanical failure of Mr Dunlop’s motorcycle after a sump plug came off the vehicle.

He said it resulted in oil spraying out on the rear wheel of the motorcycle which caused the rider to lose control.

Mr Dunlop was killed in the crash which occurred during a practice run for the Skerries 100 races at around 5pm on 7 July 2018.

The 33-year-old father of two from Ballymoney, Co Antrim was a son of another leading rider, the late Robert Dunlop who was killed in a racing crash in the North West 200 in 2008 and a nephew of the sport's legendary figure, Joey Dunlop, who was fatally injured in a collision during a race in Estonia in 2000.

The deceased, who was described