AN INQUEST into the death of a young Kirklees man was adjourned when the case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Kirklees coroner Roger Whittaker abruptly adjourned the inquest into the death of 23-year-old Omran Ali of Church Close, Heckmondwike, so prosecutors could review the case.

Mr Whittaker said: "This is a case on which I take a serious view.

"I shall, before I conclude this case, refer it to the CPS, with a view to them considering steps they might still take in relation to this incident.

"The case is adjourned pending the outcome of their deliberations."

Mr Ali died in an accident at 11.05pm in Leeds Road, Liversedge, on August 26, 2001.

Mr Ali, a back seat passenger in a Ford Escort, died at the scene after being flung from the car and hitting a wall.

Pathologist Pat Gudgeon said Mr Ali died of swelling of the brain due to a neck fracture.

The Huddersfield inquest heard that Mr Ali was with a group of friends who had been drinking heavily on the day of the accident.

They then visited the home of Sangeeta Deo, in Robin Royd Garth, Mirfield.

Majid Hussain, of Clarkson Avenue, Heckmondwike, said Sarfaraz Ibrahaim picked up the keys to the car, possibly to go to buy some more alcohol.

Mr Ali sat in the back and Mohammed Shiraz Riaz, of Clarkson Avenue, Heckmondwike, sat in the front passenger seat.

He said Sarfaraz had been drinking and was "well under the influence".

Witness Tassef Afzal Quereshi, of Hawke Avenue, Heckmondwike, alleged that car driver Sarfaraz Ibrahaim had picked up the car keys and shot off because he had just stolen some items from the house, the home of one of Mr Quereshi's friends.

The car was owned by Tasarwar Hussain of Victoria Street, Heckmondwike.

Mr Hussain told the inquest that Sarfaraz, of Harewood Avenue, Heckmondwike, had taken the car without permission.

Firefighter Mark Crookes, of Woodlands Drive, Skelmanthorpe, said he had been to the Showcase Cinema, Birstall, and was on Leeds Road at the Swan traffic lights travelling towards Huddersfield at 11.05pm, when he saw a car "screaming up behind" and overtake on the wrong side of the road.

The car then hit a right hand curve, careered across the road and smashed into a mill complex opposite.

Pc Jonathan Christopher, of Dewsbury traffic police, said the body of Mr Ali was not found until about 45 minutes after the accident.

His body was found in undergrowth near the mill, three or four feet below the road.

He said the driver was very seriously injured and was not breath tested at the scene. Neither was a blood or urine sample taken.

His memory of the incident was impaired.

Pc Christopher estimated the car had been travelling at 50-60 mph.

He considered the accident was caused by a mixture of speed and alcohol.