Vinny Derrick may have jumped from motorway bridge, inquest hears (From Messenger Newspapers)

Partington man who vanished 8 years ago may have jumped from motorway bridge

3:15pm Monday 30th July 2012 in Partington

AN inquest into the death of a man who went missing more than eight years ago has said he may have jumped from a motorway bridge, after misjudging the drop below.

Vinny Derrick, 28, from Partington, went missing in 2003 after a works night out at Jabez Clegg nightclub in Manchester.

He was due to stay with his boss, Julie Jones, at her home in Heald Green.

Having left the club before him, Ms Jones received a phonecall from Mr Derrick later that evening. He told her that he had got out of a taxi in Didsbury, but was lost on a dual carriageway – believed to be the A34.

Ms Jones gave him directions to her house but Mr Derrick never turned up.

His disappearance led to one of the region’s biggest ever missing person investigations, but it wasn’t until this year that the search came to an end.

In the months that followed his disappearance, police repeatedly searched the area south of Junction 3, after several suspected sightings.

However, police only searched one side of the M60, while Mr Derrick’s body lay just a few feet away on the north side of the ringroad.

In February, Mr Derrick’s remains were found by workmen, in undergrowth near Junction 3 of the M60 at Cheadle.

An inquest, held at Stockport’s Coroner’s Court, heard how he had died almost instantly after falling 60ft from a slip road.

Police believe the nature of his injuries suggest he wasn’t attacked or hit by a car, and Home Office pathologist Naomi Carter told the court that the metre-high crash barrier probably ruled out an accidental fall.

She told the court: “To me, the most likely scenario is that he either climbed over it or jumped over it and didn’t realise what the drop was on the other side.”

Delivering a narrative verdict, deputy coroner Joanne Kearsley concluded that Mr Derrick had fallen from the bridge, where he sustained “multiple fatal injuries”.

She said it was impossible to determine how he came to fall.

Speaking after the inquest, Vinny’s wife Vicki said: “On behalf of myself and my family I accept the verdict that has been given today.

“I am still struggling to come to terms with why it has taken eight-and-a-half years to find him.

“I cannot begin to describe the emotions we have been through as a family and know it is now time to move on with our lives.

“I would like to thank the media for their coverage and everyone who has supported us over the years.

“We now have Vinny back and know where he is, which is all we ever wanted.”