Shoreham air crash: Who were the victims?

JURORS in the trial of Andrew Hill heard today about all 11 men who lost their lives during the Shoreham Airshow in 2015.
Richard SmithRichard Smith
Richard Smith

Some were watching the display from a grass verge, near the Shoreham Airport entrance on the A27, and some were in cars travelling on that road or crossing it on foot.

The majority were not even there to watch the airshow, 10 died instantly and the cars and their occupants were completely destroyed by the crash, prosecutor Tom Kark QC said.

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Former Cosham bike worker Richard Smith was one of the victims and the 26-year-old was heading out for a ride on the South Downs with friend Dylan Archer, 42, who was also killed.

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Shoreham Airshow crash: Jury sworn in for trial of pilot Andrew Hill

The other victims were:

- Wedding chauffeur Maurice Abrahams, 76, who was driving a Daimler while en route to collect a bride in Worthing. His death was ‘rapid’ and his car was knocked over to the other side of the road in flames, the court heard.

- Tony Brightwell, 53, who had travelled by bike to watch the airshow.

- Matthew Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, both 23, died in a Vauxhall while they were on their way to play football in Worthing. Mr Schilt was a former University of Portsmouth student.

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- Matt Jones, 24, was giving Daniele Polito, 23, a lift in a BMW. The colleagues had been on a construction job in Shoreham.

 

 

- Graham Mallinson, 72, had driven to the airshow and was standing beside the A27 because he wanted to photograph one of the last flights of the Vulcan bomber.

- Mark Reeves, 53, was on a Honda Hornet motorbike and had been standing at the side of the road to watch the show.

- Mark Trussler, 54, had gone to watch the airshow on a Suzuki motorbike and had been standing next to the road.

- Campbell Paterson survived after watching the airshow and filming it on his phone, capturing the moments before the aircraft struck the ground metres away from him.