Harbury father was unlawfully killed - but the man responsible won’t be jailed

Father-of-three Kenneth Watkinson, along with his business partner Craig Elford, from Ratley near Banbury, were hit from behind by a Porsche while walking to their hotel in Fort Lauderdale in February 2009.

The two men, who ran Warwick-based Concept Medical Ltd and Ingala Healthcare in Stratford, were both killed instantly and found on the side of the road.

The driver of the Porsche, 36-year-old Ryan LeVin, who had been taking part in a ‘drag race’ with his friend, pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide when the case went to court in June 2010.

But because of a confidential money settlement with the victims’ families, he was sentenced to two years’ ‘house arrest’ at his parents’ oceanfront apartment in Fort Lauderdale.

Speaking at the inquest, which was held at the Justice Centre in Leamington last Thursday, coroner Sean McGovern said LeVin had been stopped by police less than 20 minutes before he struck the victims for the erratic manner in which he was driving.

But he then began a race with his friend Derek Cook and lost control of his Porsche 911 Turbo. A camera at a neighbouring hotel captured LeVin speeding off after striking the Mr Watkinson and Mr Elford. The Porsche was later found abandoned.

Mr McGovern said: “To record a verdict of unlawful killing, I must be sure that the nature of the driver’s driving fell far below the acceptable standard. I am satisfied and sure that Craig Louis Elford and Kenneth Watkinson were unlawfully killed.”

Mr Watkinson, 48, lived in Percival Drive in Harbury with his wife Kirsty and one of his three children.

He competed in the Leamington Regency Run and the Stratford Triathlon in 2008