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Jonathon Cudworth: Ex-girlfriend died in tragic bus crash in Canterbury

A former girlfriend of killer husband Jonathon Cudworth also died in tragic circumstances, we can exclusively reveal.

Tragic Emily Maguire fell under the wheels of a coach in Canterbury in 2003 as she pulled her drunken boyfriend off a car bonnet.

A coroner ruled the death of the 18-year-old in Upper Bridge Street to be misadventure - but only after an extended police investigation.

Mariola Cudworth pictured on her wedding day with Jonathon, who has been acquitted of murdering her
Mariola Cudworth pictured on her wedding day with Jonathon, who has been acquitted of murdering her

The inquest was delayed three times after her father Colin Maguire, then of High Street, Wingham, demanded more investigation into the mysterious incident.

Cudworth – who has now been convicted of killing wife Mika last year after stabbing her to death in a drunken rage – was never charged.

Police in April 2003 didn’t believe there was enough evidence to warrant charges being brought against him over the earlier incident.

The hearing was told how the former Archbishop’s School pupil died outside the Flying Horse Pub in Upper Bridge Street after enjoying a night out with colleagues from Safeway in Wincheap on April 27.

Witnesses said that Emily, who lived with her mother in The Street, Adisham, had been in the Flying Horse pub since 5pm drinking pints of lager.

Mariola Cudworth, known as Mika
Mariola Cudworth, known as Mika

She left with a group of friends at about 10.10pm to go to The Bizz nightclub after joking with her ex-boyfriend Cudworth and a group of friends.

Cudworth climbed onto the bonnet of a parked car outside the pub and as the part-time assistant pulled him away the pair fell into the road.

The coroner heard how she landed slightly further out and was run over by a Spanish-registered coach. She died of multiple injuries at the scene.

Insp Paul Dean told the hearing how officers had carried out a thorough investigation at the request of Mr Maguire, interviewing six other people.

But the probe had revealed nothing new and indicated no antagonism during the evening between Emily or anyone else.

"There has been no evidence from any witnesses that suggests any culpability on the part of any of those present.”

Mika and Jonathon Cudworth on their wedding day
Mika and Jonathon Cudworth on their wedding day

Christopher Dawkins, of Heaton Road, Canterbury, said Cudworth had sat on the bonnet of a car which was parked on the pavement next to the pub as he waited.

He said when Emily came out she and Jonathan were being playful and joking together, and she pulled him by the shoulders off the bonnet of the car towards her.

The two stumbled backwards holding one another and fell into the path of the coach.

He said: "She pulled him off and they held each other, messing around. They fell into the road, still together, with their heads straight out into the road."

Cudworth, then off Gore Lane, Eastry, said both he and Emily were merry but not drunk, and were laughing and joking.

He said: "We both fell into the road, and the next thing there was a bang. It all happened quickly. She must have landed further into the road than me."

Mariola Cudworth
Mariola Cudworth

The Spanish Euroline coach rounded the St George's roundabout into Upper Bridge Street, where driver Alfonso Cardenas Lomas saw the two.

The inquest heard how he said to his co-driver Jose Gamez Munoz: "Look at them so near the road."

In a statement given to police, he said he was 10m to 15m away when they fell into the road. He braked and swerved right, but felt a bump at the rear nearside.

The coach came to a stop outside Lombard House. A post mortem concluded Emily died instantly of multiple injuries.

Police crash investigator PC David Kirk told the inquest the driver had braked to the right, but Emily had been run over by the rear nearside wheels.

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