Police confirm officers had followed two boys in the minutes before fatal tragedy
Report and images by WALES NEWS SERVICE for the Glamorgan Star
Police chiefs have confirmed a police van was following two young boys killed in a crash – and none of the officers involved have been suspended over the fatal crash.
Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Bacon said she was “aware of concerns in the local community” after footage emerged of the two boys being followed on their bike by a police van before the crash.
South Wales Police previously denied any pursuit took place before Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, were killed.
She said police initially denied the pursuit because: “The situation yesterday morning was still very unclear.”
But she today confirmed the police van had followed the two boys in the minutes before the tragedy.
She insisted she gave an “honest account” but admitted that there were still “hundreds of hours” of investigative work to take place.
And despite the force being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct DPP Bacon said no officers had been interviewed under caution or suspended over the boys’ deaths.
She said: “On Monday evening a serious road traffic collision happened in Snowden Road, Ely which tragically claimed the lives of Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey Evans, two friends who lived in the community of Ely.
“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of Kyrees and Harvey and everyone affected by this terrible incident. We can only begin to imagine the grief they are experiencing at this time.
“The families continue to be supported and updated by family liaison officers.
“I am aware of concerns in the local community regarding the timeline of events which culminated in the fatal collision, including CCTV footage which shows a police vehicle following a bike in Frank road.”
She said a timeline of events had been established after “clear witness accounts, analysing tracking data from police vehicles and studying CCTV”.
She said the timeline began at 17.59.40 with the bike travelling towards the police van on Frank Road before turning around.
It was then followed along three roads before the van was forced to turn off as the boys escaped through bollards the van couldn’t get through.
She said: “There was no police vehicle in Snowden Road at the time of the collision and we believe there were no other vehicles involved in the incident.
“We have made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct to ensure the matter receives independent scrutiny. We will provide them with all the information we have, and they will undertake an independent investigation.”
She said that despite the boys deaths “nothing can excuse the level of violence and disorder which followed”.
She said: “Property was damaged and people were scared in their own homes.
“Our focus now is to fully investigate the circumstances of the collision and the appalling scenes that followed.”
In questions that followed she admitted no officers had been suspended over the incident and that more facts were still coming to light.
She refused to answer questions on why the boys were being chased or say when the police stopped the chase.
She said: “I want to be as transparent and open as I can with the community of Ely so that they understand what has happened. I have set out a timeline based on the factual information that we have but the IOPC are conducting an independent investigation regarding any pursuit has taken place.”
TIMELINE:
17:59.40 CCTV shows the bike travelling towards the police vehicle in Frank Road. The bike then turns around.
18:00.52 The bike is followed by the police vehicle, which you have already seen on CCTV images. Blue lights or sirens were not illuminated.
18:01.18 Police vehicle is at New Ely Church roundabout and travels through Archer Road, Stanway Road and Howell Road.
18:02.31Police vehicle turns onto Grand Avenue.
18:02.17 – 18:02.41 approximate time of the road traffic collision in Snowden Road.
At the time of the collision, the police van is in Grand Avenue, half a mile away from Snowden Road.
18:06.59 The police vehicle is on Cowbridge Road West when it receives information about a road traffic collision, illuminates blue lights and makes its way to the collision scene.
Report and images by WALES NEWS SERVICE for the Glamorgan Star.
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