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Teenager on LSD thought he could fly
16-year-old fell to his death from car park.
A highly intelligent 16-year-old boy jumped to his death from a multi-storey car park because he wanted to fly, an inquest heard.
Steven Taylor, who lived with his grandparents in Grange Gardens, Beeston, had a hobby of jumping from high structures. He had told friends he wished he could fly.
Steven had taken LSD around two hours before he jumped from Bedford Lurke Street car park on the warm evening of August 10 last year.
He was seen mid-fall by off-duty Bedfordshire Police drugs intelligence officer Det Con Steve Binnington.
Bedford Coroner's Court heard on Tuesday how he and two colleagues tried to resuscitate Steven after he jumped so far from the building he cleared a wide pavement, landing in the road.
Coroner David Morris was shown a friend's photograph of Steven leaping into Bedford's River Ouse from the Suspension Bridge, demonstrating his confidence and the remarkable distance he could jump.
Steven had also been known to jump from first floor buildings.
The teenager changed schools several times. Grandfather Brian Taylor told the inquest Steven achieved the highest score ever recorded in Bedford Modern School's entrance exam.
The hyperactive teenager had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at an early age and was under the care of an educational psychiatrist.
Steven dabbled in drugs including cannabis and LSD but was not an addict, the inquest heard.
He spent most of his time in Bedford with his skateboarder friends.
Suicide was ruled out when Mr Taylor told the inquest Steven was looking forward to starting college, learning to drive and was enjoying his relationship with a new girlfriend.
Mr Morris said: "LSD gave him the mistaken belief he could fly."
Verdict: Misadventure.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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