A RADCLIFFE dad has met Home Office officials to lobby for an independent inquiry into a police investigation of his son's death. Anthony Killoran, 25, was killed in a road accident in Newport, South Wales, in September 1995. The young motorcyclist was thrown head first into a lamp post following a collision with a car.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded at an inquest at Abergavenny Magistrates Court in March 1996.

Now Anthony's father, Tom, of Bolton Road, Radcliffe, has met Home Office staff to detail grievances against Gwent Police's investigation of the accident.

Mr Killoran, who spearheaded the national Stop Murder By Cars Campaign after seeing his best friend killed in a drink-drive accident outside his Radcliffe home, has previously lodged complaints about a senior officer and the force's accident investigation with the Police Complaints Authority.

Tom, 43, said: "It's been a long, lonely struggle in the last two-and-a-half years to enquire into the circumstances of Anthony's death.

"I'm glad now that the Home Office has seen I believe there is a case to answer by the evidence I've given.

"The hardest thing I've ever had to do is to carry my son's coffin. All I want is to see justice for Anthony.

"I want to be able to go to his grave when this is all over and lay the ghost to rest."

Mr Killoran is also demanding the driver of the car involved in his son's accident be prosecuted and the initial inquest verdict be quashed.

The Crown Prosecution Service had decided not to proceed with any action against the car driver after considering a file of evidence from the police.

And only days before Tom was due to pick his son's bike up from Gwent Police's vehicle recovery contractors last year, he received a letter from the DVLA telling him that someone else had applied to register the vehicle.

Mr Killoran says he had registered the bike in his own name three weeks after his son's death.

The machine was eventually handed over to Mr Killoran but, he claims, it had been stripped of parts worth about £1,700.

The BEN tried to speak to John Wall, owner of the recovery firm, Walls Truck Services, based in Maesglas, Newport, Gwent, but he refused to comment.

In an official statement from Gwent Constabulary, it was admitted that "the bike was not disposed of within set procedures".

They added: "Mr Killoran was told through his lawyer last June that Mr Wall would consider any reasonable claim made as a result of this.

"It is not in dispute that parts were missing from the bike. No claim has been forthcoming. Gwent Police has no liability in this issue.

"The CPS has considered the case on two separate occasions and has come to the conclusion that there is insufficient evidence for any criminal action to be taken."

Yesterday, Mr Killoran travelled to Leeds for a legal aid appeal hearing to enable him to seek expert opinion on a judicial appeal against Gwent Constabulary.

A Home Office spokesperson has confirmed investigations into Mr Killoran's allegations are being carried out.

She added: "A minister would not be able to comment on any matter while an investigation is underway."

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