Six foot six inches Michael Glasby was described as ‘a big little brother’ who was always there for friends and family
17:29, 31 Jul 2025Updated 17:31, 31 Jul 2025
Mike Glasby(Image: Hannah Whitehouse)
The family of a young dad who died after crashing his motorbike on the M53 motorway said: “life will never be the same”. Motorcyclist Michael Glasby, 31, had just taken part in the Wirral Egg Run, an annual event where riders donate Easter eggs to children’s charities, when he lost control and crashed into the metal barriers on the slip-road of junction two, near Moreton.
The dad-of-one was riding his blue 1200cc engine Suzuki motorbike, and was on his way to The Tap pub in Eastham when the fatal crash occurred at around 3.35pm on April 6 this year.
At his inquest in Liverpool today, July 31, his older sister Kate McKeown said: “He was our baby brother, our gentle giant. He was always there to lend a helping hand with DIY or car trouble. He’s missed beyond words. I still don’t want to believe it’s real.
“We will celebrate his life. His nieces and nephews, and his son Kory will know all about his daddy, their uncle. It’s tragic and life will never be the same.”
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Adding that Michael would be remembered for his kindness, she said: “He would do anything for anybody. He would drop everyone and come to help. The day before his death he was at my house putting up a blind for me, drill in one hand.
“He was devoted to his son Kory, who is two-and-a-half.
“He was a gentle giant – he was 6ft 6 – he was a big little brother who swamped his big sister. He was always there for his friends and family.”
As well as being an experienced motorcyclist, Michael, who lived in New Ferry, was a keen mountain biker and rode the trails in Wales. He was a “class clown” who was “always tinkering”.
His mum Jennifer said: “Even when he was little, I remember when he was two-years-old the health visitor came to the house and he had every single toy out in bits. She said is he always like this? I said yes – he never changed.”
Mike Glasby and his son, Kory(Image: Submitted)
The inquest heard Michael had been riding alongside a friend and had just overtaken him on the slip-road when he appeared to lose control. Coroner Andre Rebello said: “Michael lost control of the bike and collided with the metal barrier of the M53 slip road at junction two.
“He parted with his bike and sustained serious, fatal injuries. Emergency services attended, including the air ambulance, and a doctor confirmed his death at 4.34pm.
“Statements were obtained by the police and the rider of the other bike said that, as Michael overtook him and went down the slip road, he wasn’t in the right position to make that manoeuvre.”
A post-mortem found Michael had died of serious injuries, including a head injury, and cardiomegaly – an enlarged heart. Toxicology tests said he was “slightly over the limit” for alcohol, and had levels of cocaine in his system.
Mr Rebello said: “Cocaine of any level is cardio-toxic and can stop the heart. How the body reacts to cocaine is erratic. Someone may use cocaine and have no problems, then the next time they use it it can kill them.
“Cocaine is cardio toxic, but it also causes cardiac artery spasms. So if you have an enlarged heart and your arteries start to spasm, so that it affects the blood flow, it can cause the heart to stop. If you were riding a vehicle, it could cause you to lose control.
“You can’t prove cardiac misfunction after death, because it’s something that happens in the moment. But the Coroner’s Court is a specialist tribunal and I come across this all the time. The very fact that cocaine was present makes it a possible explanation as to why this crash occurred.”
He handed down a conclusion of death by road traffic collision.