Watchdog investigates complaints about police made by families of boys who died in Ely crash
An investigation has been launched after families of two teenagers who died when their electric bike crashed in Ely complained about South Wales Police[1]. Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died after the electric bike they were riding on was involved in a collision on Snowden Road, on May 22. Police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), said on Thursday (December 14) they are investigating complaints made by the two families, including one about how they were treated at the scene on the night of the crash.
CCTV showed a police van travelling behind the bike in the run up to the incident. For the latest Cardiff news, sign up to our newsletter here[2]
This is the second investigation launched by the police watchdog into the incident, which lead to large scale riots in the area. A statement from the IOPC said that this investigation will focus on issued raised by the boys’ families.
The complaints that they are examining include:
- South Wales Police’s response and management of the collision scene on the night of May 22
- Treatment of the families at the scene of the collision
- The force’s communication with the families following the boys’ deaths
The original investigation into South Wales Police and their interactions with the teenagers before their deaths is at an advanced stage.
Evidence gathering from enquiries in Ely has been completed. The IOPC statement said: “We have taken a large number of statements from local residents as the result of our house-to-house enquiries. We have reviewed hundreds of video clips as well as body-worn video from officers who were at the scene.
We have also taken further statements from police officers and staff. We have liaised with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and reviewed a large amount of evidence gathered by our investigators. We have identified further lines of enquiry which we are now pursuing as a priority.”
In June, the IOPC confirmed it had served the driver and passenger of the police van seen behind the boys’ bike with gross misconduct notices. In August, they informed the driver of the police van that they were under criminal investigation for dangerous driving. The watchdog said: “This does not necessarily mean that disciplinary or criminal proceedings will follow.”
IOPC director David Ford said: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families and friends of Kyrees and Harvey and everyone impacted by their untimely deaths. We are independently investigating several complaints raised by their families, which are mainly centred around their interactions with South Wales Police on the night of the incident and in the following days and weeks. “This is in addition to our original investigation for which we have obtained and scrutinised a substantial volume of evidence and we continue to make good progress.
Decisions regarding any disciplinary proceedings and any referral to the Crown Prosecution Service will be made upon the conclusion of our investigation.
“We are updating the boys’ families and South Wales Police regularly with our progress on both investigations.” South Wales Police said there would be nothing to add at this point.
References
- ^ South Wales Police (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ For the latest Cardiff news, sign up to our newsletter here (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ Rob Howley makes sensational return to Welsh rugby as part of Warren Gatland’s coaching team (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ Chair of S4C ‘completely lost temper’ ‘shouting, his face red’ at woman he later sacked (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ here. (www.walesonline.co.uk)