Harriet Shelley died after stepping out between two vehicles during a night out, an inquest has heard
The sister of Union J popstar George Shelley died after she was struck by a car when she stepped out from behind the tour bus of rapper Stormzy, an inquest heard.
Harriet Shelley, 21, suffered fatal head injuries in the collision with a VW Beetle outside the O2 Academy in Bristol shortly before midnight on April 28 this year.
The university student, who was out with friends, had drunk at least four large glasses of vodka and coke before the accident, Avon Coroner’s Court heard.
Toxicology tests taken after the incident revealed Miss Shelley had a reading of 235mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, almost three times the drink-drive limit for motorists.
She died at Southmead Hospital in Bristol eight days later and the cause of death was given as ‘severe traumatic brain injury’.
Miss Shelley, from Clevedon, North Somerset, had been due to graduate from Birmingham University with a first class degree in midwifery.
‘Our Harriet was a beautiful young woman with a huge lust for life and had great ambitions,’ her family said afterwards.
‘Throughout her time at Birmingham, she delivered countless babies into the world and touched many lives.
‘What happened on that night was an accident in all respects. We as a family do not blame anyone, or look to point the finger.’
Midwifery student Harriet (left) was the younger sister of Union J singer George Shelley (right)
The family said Harriet had a ‘huge lust for life’. Pictured: The siblings together when younger
Hundreds of people attended Miss Shelley’s funeral and her elder brother George, who rose to fame after appearing on the X Factor in 2012, sang a song he had written as a tribute.
Eyewitnesses said they saw Miss Shelley step out from between a stationary lorry and the coach into the road without looking, giving motorist Claire Webster no chance of avoiding a collision.
Miss Shelley’s friend, Florence Anstey, said the pair had been drinking at home before being dropped off in the city to go to the Ramshackle club night.
‘We got out of the car and went to queue up. Harriet was leaning against the wall, obviously very drunk and I asked her if she was all right and she said yes,’ Miss Anstey said in a statement.
‘I then started to talk to another friend when Harriet ran off. I thought she was going off to be sick or go to the loo.
‘After a few minutes, she had not returned and I said I would look for her. Near the bus, I saw a girl on the ground with a group of people around her. I saw it was Harriet.’
George Shelley, aged eight, with his family, brother Tom Harris, mum Toni, brother William and sister Harriet (centre)
The area around the O2 Academy was busy as more than 2,000 people had been attending a gig by grime artist Stormzy.
Miss Webster was driving at 16mph on a road with a 20mph speed limit when the accident happened.
‘Going past the buses I heard a bump on the passenger side of the car,’ she said in a written statement.
‘I didn’t feel the car had hit anything but I looked in my rear view mirror and saw an arm in the air and realised somebody had been hit by my car.
‘I did not see the female and she must have come out of the gap between the lorry and the coach. I didn’t have time to react or take any avoiding action.’
The accident happened outside Bristol’s O2 Academy, where rapper Stormzy was performing
Pedestrian Daniel Light, who witnessed the collision, told the hearing: ‘I saw a female walk out between the gap.
‘She did not appear to look before walking out and the next thing I saw was a car hitting the female.’
Collision investigator Pc Richard Hignett said the incident was captured on a dashcam fitted to the lorry that Miss Shelley had stepped out in front of.
He said Miss Shelley was walking fast when attempted to cross the road between the two vehicles and did not stop to look.
‘In my opinion, having done this role for a long time, that (the alcohol level) would have affected her judgment,’ he said.
He added that he did not believe Miss Webster could have done anything to avoid the collision.
Hundreds of people attended Miss Shelley’s funeral and her elder brother George, who rose to fame after appearing on the X Factor in 2012, sang a song he had written as a tribute
Dr Peter Harrowing, the assistant coroner for Avon, recorded a narrative conclusion, saying Miss Shelley died from head injuries following a road accident.
‘Even though Miss Webster reacted with such speed, she could do nothing to avoid the collision with Harriet,’ he said.
‘I consider that on the balance of probabilities that even if Harriet was a regular drinker of alcohol, that level of alcohol would have significantly impaired her judgment.’
The inquest heard that Miss Shelley’s organs were donated to five people, including a baby.