Police right to pursue criminal car that crashed killing driver - watchdog
West Mercia Police followed guidelines in pursuing a car that crashed, killing its driver, the police watchdog has decided.
The force was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after one of its cars pursued a Vauxhall Corsa which had been involved in criminal activity in Adderley, near Market Drayton, and Audlem, and inspectors have decided the chase was carried out appropriately.
Liam Sidhu, aged 21, died when the Corsa which he was driving hit an oncoming Honda Civic on the A53 near Baldwin's Gate at about 9.50pm on July 24, 2016. Two other passengers from the cars were injured.
The Corsa was being pursued by a marked BMW X5 West Mercia Police vehicle at the time of the collision.
The IOPC investigation found that there was justification for the pursuit and that proper authorisation was sought. The pursuit was carried out by a suitably trained, advanced police driver and the emergency lights and siren were activated.
The Corsa was being driven in excess of 70mph at one stage, and the investigator decided there was no evidence to suggest the police were responsible for causing the Corsa to crash.
IOPC regional director Derrick Campbell said: “My thoughts are with Mr Sidhu’s family and everyone else affected by his death. In the investigator’s view the decisions and actions of the two officers in the police vehicle were appropriate, and the pursuit adhered to force and national policies.
“At the time of the collision itself, there was a significant gap between the police vehicle and the Corsa. All police officers and staff were treated as witnesses during the course of our inquiries.”
An inquest which concluded at Hanley Town Hall yesterday returned a finding that death was caused by a road traffic collision.
