A MAN killed after his car hit a barn wall in Upon-upon-Severn was due in court on a child rape charge, it has emerged.

Paul Kitsull had been committed for trial at Worcester Crown Court charged with the rape of a female under 16 and sexual intercourse with a girl under 16.

The crash happened as he drove home after celebrating a friend's birthday and first anniversary meal with his 22-year-old girlfriend Cheryl Lewis. The couple suffered fatal injuries.

Warehouse worker Mr Kitsull, aged 31, and hairdresser Miss Lewis were not wearing seatbelts when the passenger side of the Mazda RX7 struck the barn wall on Saturday, December 29, an inquest at County Hall was told yesterday.

The Malvern couple were returning to their flat in Wells Road after eating at the Drum and Monkey Pub in the town with friends Raymond Pedlingham and Sandra Cooper.

The two groups, in separate cars, set off in different directions, with Mr Kitsull and Miss Lewis travelling on the A4104 Upton to Welland road.

But after their friends had been waiting outside their flat for five minutes they feared something was wrong. They then heard the police sirens.

"We were having a meal, it was a great laugh and they were very happy," said Sandra Cooper, who was celebrating her birthday.

"We were joking that we went the longer route to their flat but it was the only way we knew."

PC Michael Dickens, one of the first people on the scene said both bodies were covered in blood, with Miss Lewis's body discovered by a hedge outside the car.

"I saw the body of a male slumped across the passenger seat, he was bleeding heavily from the head," said Mr Dickens. "I could not move his legs because they were trapped."

He said the other body was also bleeding heavily and he could not find a pulse on either person.

Investigators said the force of the side impact had been so great it had pushed the roof upwards, removed the sun roof and ripped a wheel from its suspension.

They confirmed there had been no sign of the car losing control before hitting the wall and no evidence that it had been travelling at great speed.

There were no loading marks on the seatbelts, which suggested they had not been worn and Miss Lewis had crashed through the windscreen.

Deputy Worcestershire Coroner Tim Sherwood said the two died from their injuries.

He sympathised with the families' involved and recorded a verdict of accidental death.

The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed Mr Kitsull had been due in court to face sex charges.