A MAN “possessed with demons” died in hospital after walking out of a moving car in Wimborne.

Benjamin Jon Underhill was on his way to a fishing lake with a friend at the time of the incident but died from his injuries days later.

An inquest held at Bournemouth Town Hall on March 4 heard that the 39-year-old was a “happy and jolly person” but struggled with his mental health.

Benjamin’s father and former Dorset police and crime commissioner, Martyn Underhill, told Dorset Coroner’s Court that his son “became possessed with demons” after losing two close cousins in a fatal car accident at 14 years old.

Benjamin was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was medicated under a community treatment order, which allows a responsible clinician to return a patient to hospital if immediate treatment is necessary.

His father said Benjamin “did not accept his mental illness or diagnosis” and appealed to a tribunal to revoke the order, which was granted in May 2023.

The court heard that Benjamin was a victim of county lines and moved to Verwood in February last year to be closer to his father.

The day before his death, on August 7, Benjamin was “happy and chatting”, speaking to his father about plans to go fishing together the following weekend.

On the afternoon of August 8, Benjamin and his friend Sheldon Ennis, who lived in the same flat block, decided to drive to Whitmore Lakes to go fishing.

However, when the pair reached Holt Road at around 4.40pm Sheldon heard a click before witnessing Benjamin open the front passenger door and step out of the moving vehicle.

Members of the public attempted to give CPR before an air ambulance arrived and took Benjamin to Southampton General Hospital.

Dr Jeremy Whittles said in a statement that a CT scan showed a likely-unsurvivable brain injury.

Benjamin’s conditioned worsened in hospital before he was pronounced deceased on August 11.

Senior coroner for Dorset, Rachael Griffin concluded his medical cause of death to be traumatic head injury and that he died from misadventure.

Police officers at the scene drug tested Sheldon and arrested him for driving under the influence, as well as driving without a license or insurance.

Police sergeant Gareth Thomas told the court that Sheldon received a 12-month driving ban and a £120 fine after being convicted of the offences in February this year.

Despite this, dashcam footage revealed no evidence of erratic driving or any third-party involvement that could have contributed to Benjamin’s death.

Following the inquest hearing Martyn Underhill said: “The family would like to thank members of the public, to all those who stopped to help with that traumatic day.

“It must have been difficult for them. Thank you all so much for trying to save him.

“For the driver of the car, there is absolute frustration from the family that Mr Ennis who had no driving license, no insurance and recently taken cocaine received only a 12 month ban and a small fine.

“Drug driving needs to be punished far more than it currently is.

“Today’s inquest means the family can have closure and can remember Ben for what he was, a beautiful, loving and caring person.”