A NEWPORT man was killed after he ran in front of a 260-tonne train, an inquest heard.

Richard James Hopkin, aged 29, died after the incident on the Ebbw Junction rail line in Newport on September 19 last year.

Gwent Coroners Court, sitting in Newport yesterday, heard how the driver of a DB Schenker Ltd train was approaching the Ebbw Junction at 40mph at around 10.45pm when he suddenly became aware of a man running across the line 10 yards away.

Andrew Papp, a train driver with 29 years’ experience, said: “I saw the person looking at me as he kept on running. I had so little notice that I didn’t have time to put the emergency brakes on or sound the horn. He made no effort to move away from my path.”

A post mortem examination found Mr Hopkin died as a result of multiple fatal injuries, and found morphine in his body. The inquest heard how his family suspected Mr Hopkin had been using drugs since his late teens.

Mr Hopkin's father Terence Hopkin, told the inquest: “It was a straight line from his friend’s house in the Gaer. It was a shortcut straight across to get home.

“We think that’s the reason he was there. We came back from holiday that same night. He rang his mother – everything was normal, he said ‘see you later’.”

However, Gwent chief coroner David Bowen said: “From the evidence I’ve heard from the driver, it’s quite clear that Mr Hopkin deliberately ran in front of the train. He made no effort whatsoever to get out of the way.

“I’m sure that his actions were quite deliberate.”

Verdict: killed himself.