A Bradford dad-of-six who died when he was struck by a minicab soon after he had been released from a police station had been walking in the middle of the road, an inquest has heard.

Assistant Coroner Roger Whittaker said he was concerned and puzzled why Simon Clifford, 47, had been in the road when he was struck by a cab in the early hours of October 28, 2012, near the Co-op at Bradford Road, Riddlesden.

He described Mr Clifford’s actions as “foolish in the extreme” and said he had been “the author of his own misfortune”, but he also told the hearing cab driver Tariq Mahmood did not take sufficient action to avoid the situation.

The inquest in Bradford heard yesterday the incident had twice been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service, but never made it to court.

Mr Clifford's family had also complained to the Independent Police Complaints Commission about how he was released from Keighley Police Station with no means to get home, but the commission decided there was no case to be investigated.

Shortly before he was struck by the car Mr Clifford, of Sandhill Mount, Thorpe Edge, has been seen walking straight down the centre white lines in the road by another cab driver who had slowed down to tell him to get out of the road.

Giving evidence, cab driver Mr Mahmood, who was arrested at the time, said he had got to the lights at a crossing near the Co-op at 30mph when he first saw Mr Clifford about 60m away walking in the road towards him.

He said he continued to drive in a straight line because there was no other traffic, but as he got nearer Mr Clifford suddenly “jumped” into his path and fell on the car.

But collision investigator Martin Ward said damage to the car suggested Mr Clifford, who had not been under the influence of alcohol or drugs, had not suddenly darted out in front of the cab at the time of impact on the well-lit road.

“I believe he was walking on the road towards Riddlesden about 3ms from the kerb and the taxi, at about 30mph, has come round the corner and collided with him and not reacted to the presence of the pedestrian until impact,” he said.

Mr Whittaker recorded a verdict that Mr Clifford died as a result of a road accident.