A five-month-old boy was orphaned when his parents were killed in a high speed quadbike crash on their honeymoon in the Maldives, an inquest has heard.

Jonathan and Emma Gray, both 25, were travelling on the back of the bike when it hit a tree while they were on their way home from a private party on the Kuredu Island Resort in August 2011.

The host of the party, Filip Petre, had offered to drive the Grays and two other couples back to their villas at the end of the night, the inquest was told.

Killed instantly: Jonathan and Emma Gray, both 25, died on their honeymoon in the Maldives after accepting a lift home on a quadbike that crashed into a tree, leaving their five-month-old son Jake (pictured) an orphan

Tragic: The couple had gone to a private party on the Kuredu Island Resort in August 2011. When the quadbike crashed the pair were killed instantly but their bodies were not found until hours later because the rider fled

The other couples declined but Mr and Mrs Gray, both of Halifax, West Yorkshire, accepted.

The inquest heard the couple rode on the back of Petre's bike at high speed before it crashed into a tree as the rider tried to negotiate a bend.

Petre escaped with minor injuries but Mr and Mrs Gray were killed instantly.

Petre was subsequently charged with 'disobedience to order' by Maldives State Prosecutors, which carried the death penalty as its maximum sentence, the inquest heard.

He was acquitted before the prosecution later tried to appeal for his conviction.

But the inquest heard Petre jumped bail to escape to his native Sweden and is 'highly unlikely' to face any more criminal proceedings.

Coroner Oliver Longstaff, at Halifax Coroners Court, recorded a verdict of death by road traffic collision at an inquest into the Grays' deaths today.

He said: 'These circumstances can only be described as a tragedy. Their family and friends have been left hanging for many, many years for a conclusion to this tragedy.

'Can I say to you all how very, very sorry I am that you have had to wait for this hearing?

'I was struck by some things Emma's mother, Susan Oldfield, said as far back as 2012 - that being reminded of these events is a stress every time, and that all she wanted to do was draw a line under all this.'

Sad: At the end of the night, the host of the party, Filip Petre, offered to drive the Grays back to their villa on a quadbike. When it crashed Petre escaped with minor injuries but the couple died. Their joint funeral is pictured

Petre was charged with 'disobedience to order', which carried the death penalty as a maximum sentence in the Maldives. He was acquitted but later fled the country when the prosecution tried to appeal for his conviction

Mrs Gray (left) was described as a loving wife and mother to her five-month-old son, Jake. The couple first met as children when living next door to each other, but lost touch before bumping into one another again in 2005

The couple first met as children when living next door to each other, but lost touch before bumping into one another again in 2005.

In a statement provided by Mrs Oldfield at the time of the accident, which was read out in court, Mrs Gray was described as a loving wife and mother to her five-month-old son, Jake.

She said: 'Emma and Jonathan were so happily in love. Emma was so proud of Jay, and he was so proud of her job as a primary school teacher.

'Jay booked a surprise trip to New York and he proposed in a horse drawn carriage in Central Park on New Year's Eve.

Jay was a fantastic dad to Jake. He just loved being a dad and a husband Catherine Davis, Jonathan Gray's mother

'When Emma found out she was pregnant, she asked me whether she should still go on her honeymoon. I told her she should, and baby Jake arrived in 2011.

'She was a really good mum, she took to motherhood like a duck to water.

'The wedding was fantastic and Emma looked beautiful. We really miss Emma and Jay and I have no idea what I will do without Emma.'

Mr Gray's mother Catherine Davis described how her son, a keen artist, had made her proud in his job as a kitchen designer.

She said: 'He worked hard and played hard and became a lovely young man.

'He fell in love with Emma, and was accepted into her family.

'Jay was a fantastic dad to Jake. He just loved being a dad and a husband.'

At the inquest, Detective Superintendent Simon Atkinson of West Yorkshire Police described the events of the night of the tragedy.

He said: 'On the night of August 5 2011, Mr and Mrs Gray went to a bar on the Kerudu Resort. There they met Mr Petre who told them his father owned the resort. His father didn't own it, but he was a shareholder.

Coroner Oliver Longstaff, at Halifax Coroners Court, today recorded a verdict of death by road traffic collision at an inquest into the deaths of Mr and Mrs Gray (pictured on their wedding day with five-month-old son Jake)

'Mr Petre worked at the resort as a trainee guest relations officer.

'Mr Petre took the Grays and two other couples back to his brother's house but the party was broken up when his brother Tom arrived back at the property.

'Mr Petre obtained the keys for the quadbike from a security guard and offered Mr and Mrs Gray a lift. The other couples declined.

'A short time later, one of the couples had arrived back to their villa when they heard a loud thump. They ran out and saw the bike crashed into a tree, with the bodies of Mr and Mr Gray nearby.

'Fearing for their safety they returned back to their villa.'

Mr and Mrs Gray were not discovered by doctors until some hours later, after Petre alerted his brother to the accident.

He was charged with disobedience to order in 2012 but acquitted of all charges in 2013, and the Crown Prosecution Service said it would not be able to bring charges against him in the UK.

EMMA GRAY'S MOTHER SUSAN PAYS EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO COUPLE 'Emma and Jonathan were so happily in love. Emma was so proud of Jay, and he was so proud of her job as a primary school teacher. 'Jay booked a surprise trip to New York and he proposed in a horse drawn carriage in Central Park on New Year's Eve. 'When Emma found out she was pregnant, she asked me whether she should still go on her honeymoon. I told her she should, and baby Jake arrived in 2011. 'She was a really good mum, she took to motherhood like a duck to water. 'The wedding was fantastic and Emma looked beautiful. We really miss Emma and Jay and I have no idea what I will do without Emma.' Advertisement

Delivering the verdict, Mr Longstaff said: 'The verdict of road traffic collision hardly gives justice to the huge hole left in the lives they left behind.

'The love that they had for each other and their son is evident from family statements. I am sure that both families have the welfare of Jake at the centre of their thoughts.

'I hope that as the years roll by and as Jake grows up, they will be comforted by thoughts of their lives and not dwell on their tragic deaths.'

Speaking after the verdict, Mrs Gray's father Rodney Oldfield said: 'The past few years have been completely heartbreaking for our families and we are still struggling to come to terms with losing Emma.

'She was really looking forward to her honeymoon in the Maldives to celebrate the start of her married life and her life was so cruelly cut short because of what happened.

'We would like to thank the coroner, West Yorkshire Police and our legal team at Irwin Mitchell for investigating the circumstances leading up to Emma's death in 2011 and for all their help and support.

'We are focussing all our care and attention on Jake and giving him everything he needs.'

Mrs Gray's parents instructed specialist international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the circumstances of their daughter's death.

Although no admission was made by any party pursued, the law firm was able to secure an undisclosed settlement from Kuredu Holdings PVT Limited, the owner of the resort where the incident occurred, which will provide for son Jake as he grows up.

Cheryl Palmer-Hughes, a specialist international personal injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing Emma's family, said: 'Emma's family has been through an unimaginable ordeal losing their loved one so suddenly and in such tragic circumstances.

'This was a horrific incident which took the lives of a young couple who were celebrating the happiest time in their lives on their honeymoon.