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A teenager killed when his car crashed into a house sped away from police despite the fact officers were responding to calls that had nothing to do with him, an inquest heard.
David Leonard Probert, 19, jumped into his car and drove off at speed and with his headlights off while out with friends, a coroner was told.
He subsequently crashed into the wall of a house before his Ford Focus rotated 180 degrees and hit a parked Royal Mail van. Mr Probert, known to friends as Nipsy, died in hospital several days after the crash in Old Road, Neath .
An inquest into his death held in Swansea on Wednesday heard Mr Probert had been out with friends celebrating one of their birthdays hours before the fatal crash in the early hours of August 29 last year.
The group had been waiting until midnight when funds would be transferred into Mr Probert’s account and pulled up in two cars outside the Nisa store in Briton Ferry Road.
Mr Probert, from Briton Ferry , had withdrawn some money while his friend Stefan Hanney had gone inside the shop then gone to speak with friends in another car.
CCTV showed at around 12.20am when he spotted police vehicles responding to emergency calls Mr Probert suddenly jumped into his Ford Focus, leaving his friends behind as he first reversed and then drove off at speed with his headlights off.
Stefan’s sister Shannon Hanney, who had been in the other car, told the inquest Mr Probert had previously been involved in police chases and added: “He was the type if he saw police he would always want to get away.”
The police officers he had spotted in vehicles responding to other calls were then diverted and followed Mr Probert onto Crythan Road but lost sight of Mr Probert before he crashed.
CCTV footage revealed Mr Probert had driven off and turned into Old Road where his car had collided into the wall of a house then spun 180 degrees and hit a parked Royal Mail van.
An investigation revealed he had been driving at an average speed of 62mph.
(Image: Adrian White)
PC Lee Christer, of the serious collisions investigations unit at South Wales Police, said: “The tragic circumstances are David was in the area at the same time of the officers and reacted in the way he did.”
The inquest heard Mr Probert had no MOT, driving licence, or insurance and was not wearing a seatbelt. His vehicle was later found to have no technical defects. Blood analysis later revealed he had no alcohol in his system but had 7.2mg of cannabis in his blood compared to a legal limit of two.
Mr Probert was transferred from Morriston Hospital to the University of Wales Hospital in Cardiff following the crash. He died three days later, on September 1, when his family agreed to an end-of-life plan after being told he had suffered brain stem death meaning he had no ability to stay alive on his own.
The inquest was told Mr Probert’s cause of death was severe traumatic brain injury.
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Assistant coroner of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot Aled Gruffydd concluded: “David Probert died in a road traffic collision when the car he was driving last control while travelling along Old Road in Neath before colliding with the corner of a wall then rotating 180 degrees and colliding with a parked van.
“I am satisfied from CCTV footage and witness accounts that David reacted to the police presence by speeding off. The police presence was not there to investigate David and the subsequent follow-up was within the appropriate guidelines”.
Following the incident the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) carried out an investigation and found no evidence South Wales Police officers could have foreseen or prevented the fatal collision.
It also concluded there was no evidence the officers’ decision to follow Mr Probert influenced his manner of driving and that at the time of the collision, he could not have known whether the police were following him.
(Image: Adrian White)
IOPC director for Wales Catrin Evans said: “My thoughts continue to be with Mr Probert’s family and friends at this difficult time. There is no reason to believe that the collision could have been avoided if the officers had done anything differently.
“Their decision to follow Mr Probert meant that they were able to request an ambulance and provide first aid very soon after the collision occurred. Unfortunately Mr Probert passed away due to the seriousness of his injuries.”
Following Mr Probert’s death his family agreed to the donation of his liver, pancreas, and both kidneys, which an earlier inquest hearing was told “saved a few lives”.
After the hearing a spokesman for Mr Probert’s family said: “As a family we are still devastated following the death of David, also known as Nipsy.
“We fully agree with the conclusion of the coroner and we know the police had no direct involvement that led to the collision.
“We would like to thank the emergency services that attended the scene of the crash who tried desperately to save David’s life.
“We would also like to say thank the medical teams at the hospitals where David was treated.
“Our final thanks goes to PC Darren Westall who was our family liaison officer throughout the investigation. David will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him.
“The investigation carried out by South Wales Police and the IOPC was carried out to a high level and we are grateful for this.”
