An inquest heard colleagues of PC Steve Rawson could do nothing to prevent his death in a high-speed crash

PC Steve Rawson was working undercover for Hampshire police when his motorcycle collided with a BMW on Thomas Lewis Way in Southampton with such force that the car spun around.

The inquest into the death of the 40-year-old PC Rawson, which began yesterday, heard he had been riding at speeds up to 100mph.

The scene of the crash in Thomas Lewis Way last April

Jurors were told how his fellow officers rushed to his side within seconds to try to save his life.

But despite their best efforts, the dad-of-two from Bishopstoke arrived at Southampton General Hospital not breathing and in cardiac arrest.

Inspector Richard Parsons, head of the road death investigation team, told the hearing in Southampton how trauma medics in the emergency department battled for 45 minutes to restart his heart but nothing could be done to save him.

He also told how officers also went to the aid of the driver of the silver BMW, Michal Pliszczynski, who had also suffered serious injuries, most notably to his back and ribs.

Inspector Parsons said it was unlikely that the driver had been distracted by a missed call on his mobile phone as it was found in his trouser pocket, on silent and had no vibrate function.

He added: “It was highly likely that he was unaware of the missed call.”

Incident At the beginning of the hearing, coroner for Southampton and the New Forest, Grahame Short, told the jury of six women and five men that the incident had happened close to the Shell garage on April 3, last year.

Mr Pliszczynski had turned into the garage to refuel but found that it had been closed and was exiting the petrol station.

Lorry driver Roy Robertson told the inquest that he had saw the collision happen on the road in front of him, after the motorbike and a red Seat – which had two police officers inside – had overtaken him.

He told the jury that the BMW had pulled out of the exit of the petrol station and then stopped across the carriageway, waiting to turn right.

He said: “I just couldn’t believe what had happened. I couldn’t believe the car had crossed the carriageway and stopped there, blocking the whole carriageway completely.

“The bike hit the side of the vehicle, spun the car round and went over the top of the car and the rider did as well.”

He added that the driver of the BMW was looking the other way at the time of the impact.

He said that he went to the aid of the rider, with one of the men from the red Seat, who told him he was a police officer as he took off PC Rawson’s helmet.

When he was told that evidence in the coming days would suggest PC Rawson was travelling between 80 and 100mph, Mr Robertson said that he didn’t believe that he could have been going that fast.

He said: “I wouldn’t have thought that. I think that’s a bit fast.”

Proceeding