A young father killed after police chased him against the flow of traffic died by “misadventure”, a jury has ruled.

Kayne Gardner, 30, died on the North Circular Road near Waterworks roundabout in Redbridge on October 21, 2018, after colliding head-on with a lorry, the driver of which was uninjured.

At the start of his inquest on July 19, grieving partner Bonnie Exley told the jury Kayne, of Newham, made “bad choices with his friends” because he “craved acceptance” but had recently decided to change.

Summarising the evidence on the final day of the inquest, July 23, coroner Ian Wade QC repeatedly emphasised that he felt it was Kayne’s choices that led to his tragic death.

He told the jury: “Kayne was required to stop by the blue lights, it was his choice to make… he elected not to stop.

“He elected to do so on two good tyres and two burst tyres and while over three times the drink drive limit.

“You should ask yourself: who was creating the danger? The evidence appears to be that Kayne chose the most dangerous course through this episode.”

The family’s legal representation argued Kayne only made his dangerous choices because he was chased by police and would have left the wrong side of the carriageway if officers stopped.

However, the jury heard arguments from multiple police witnesses that the officer pursuing Kayne was duty-bound to do so because of the risk his driving posed to others on the road.

Speaking after the jury had left the court, coroner Wade added that he had not heard evidence of any police behaviour that “caused or contributed to this very tragic death”.