Dylan Crossey: This is when an inquest will resume into Penwortham schoolboy's death

An inquest into the death of a Penwortham schoolboy will take place more than seven years after his death.

All Hallow's pupil Dylan Crossey died aged 15 in October 2016, having been knocked off his bicycle in Chainhouse Lane, Whitestake, by a car that did not stop.

A week-long inquest into his death was sensationally halted in September 2021 when Coroner Dr James Adeley referred the matter back to the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider prosecuting driver David Harwood for gross negligence manslaughter. But two days before Christmas 2021, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided the driver should not face criminal charges. 

Read why CPS rejected the case here

When will the inquest be held?

Now a new date for the full inquest to resume has been set - it will run for at least two days at Preston's County Hall from 10am on Monday, January 15.

Coroner Dr James Adeley will be listening to evidence from the suspended inquest ahead of Monday, and has decided not to bring back a jury, despite the first inquest having had one, and pleas from Dylan's family.

A pre-inquest hearing was heard on December 20, when questions over Mr Harwood's mobile phone were raised, as well as a police report into deleted messages. These issues will be dealt with during the inquest.

Mr Harwood is not expected to appear at the inquest to give evidence.

What does an inquest do?

An inquest is an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding a death.

The purpose of the inquest is to find out who the deceased person was and how, when and where they died and to provide the details needed for their death to be registered. It is not a trial. When a conclusion is reached, a death certificate can be issued.