A police pursuit of a motorcyclist who died after crashing into a metal sign should have been terminated, a coroner has found.
Scott Pickford, 40, stopped at an RBT in Stockton, near Newcastle, NSW on Boxing Day in 2012 but when he was asked about his motorcycle license, sped away.
In the ensuing pursuit, Mr Pickford reached speeds of up to 160km/h before eventually colliding with a metal street sign.
He was thrown off his bike and suffered multiple injuries, including spinal fractures and a brain injury.
The 40-year-old was declared dead at hospital a week later.
In handing down findings into the inquest of his death on Monday, Deputy State Coroner Paul MacMahon said the officers involved in pursuing Mr Pickford did not cause his death.
But he said they should have terminated the chase once the 40-year-old entered Masonite Road as it posed too high a risk to the community.
"It was abundantly clear from the time Scott entered Masonite Road he was not going to stop for police," Mr MacMahon remarked.
"From that time the continuation of the pursuit was futile and should have been terminated."
He questioned the reasoning of the two officers involved but said he was not satisfied that had the chase been called off Mr Pickford's death would necessarily have been avoided.
The inquest heard Mr Pickford had led a "turbulent life", which involved periods of drug use.
After his death methylamphetamine or "ice" was found in his system, with an expert pharmacologist telling the inquest it would have "significantly impaired" his riding on Boxing Day.
In the days before his death, Mr Pickford was also involved in two other driving matters, including a pursuit on December 23.
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