This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-37834668
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Police criticised over wrong-way M1 death crash | Police criticised over wrong-way M1 death crash |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police have been criticised for failing to stop an 87-year-old driving the wrong way on major roads before killing himself and another man in a crash. | Police have been criticised for failing to stop an 87-year-old driving the wrong way on major roads before killing himself and another man in a crash. |
| Albert Newman drove for 30 miles in the wrong carriageways on the M42, the A42 and the M1 before crashing into a van. | Albert Newman drove for 30 miles in the wrong carriageways on the M42, the A42 and the M1 before crashing into a van. |
| An inquest heard one force had no motorway patrols on duty and another had earlier failed to notice Mr Newman's licence had been revoked. | An inquest heard one force had no motorway patrols on duty and another had earlier failed to notice Mr Newman's licence had been revoked. |
| The coroner adjourned the hearing so officers could answer more questions. | The coroner adjourned the hearing so officers could answer more questions. |
| Dementia patient Mr Newman, from Nottingham, crashed his Mazda Premacy into a Transit van near Kegworth, Leicestershire, in October last year, killing passenger Michael Luciw and injuring the driver, Andy Harrington. | Dementia patient Mr Newman, from Nottingham, crashed his Mazda Premacy into a Transit van near Kegworth, Leicestershire, in October last year, killing passenger Michael Luciw and injuring the driver, Andy Harrington. |
| The inquest was told that Warwickshire police took the first call about a car on the wrong carriageway on the M42, but officers incorrectly recorded the direction he was heading. | The inquest was told that Warwickshire police took the first call about a car on the wrong carriageway on the M42, but officers incorrectly recorded the direction he was heading. |
| The error was put right, but Mr Newman crossed the county boundary into Leicestershire on the A42, where the specialist roads policing unit had finished work for the night. | The error was put right, but Mr Newman crossed the county boundary into Leicestershire on the A42, where the specialist roads policing unit had finished work for the night. |
| This meant the force had no specialist motorway patrols in the county. | This meant the force had no specialist motorway patrols in the county. |
| Eyewitness account | |
| Pamela Oxlade, who was travelling towards Birmingham Airport with her husband, told the inquest: "We were fortunately just past a lorry when suddenly, out of nowhere, there were two balls of light. | |
| "It was really quick and it was just unreal because you couldn't see the outline of the car in the dark. | |
| "I dialled 999 and spoke to a gentleman, explained what had happened and he just said they were aware of it. | |
| "We said we were almost half an hour from the M1 and going towards Birmingham. It was such a great relief to hear that he was aware of it." | |
| The inquest was told that about 20 minutes later, Mrs Oxlade spotted signs warning motorists to slow down because of a car travelling in the wrong direction. | |
| Coroner Trevor Kirkman, speaking about Leicestershire police's involvement, said: "It does seem as if the procedure does not seem to be working very satisfactorily. | Coroner Trevor Kirkman, speaking about Leicestershire police's involvement, said: "It does seem as if the procedure does not seem to be working very satisfactorily. |
| "This vehicle had travelled a long distance with no intervention." | "This vehicle had travelled a long distance with no intervention." |
| It emerged at the hearing in Loughborough that Nottinghamshire Police spoke to Mr Newman months before the crash after reports about him driving while showing signs of dementia. | It emerged at the hearing in Loughborough that Nottinghamshire Police spoke to Mr Newman months before the crash after reports about him driving while showing signs of dementia. |
| An officer did not check the paperwork before visiting him. That would have revealed his licence had been revoked on medical grounds two years earlier. | An officer did not check the paperwork before visiting him. That would have revealed his licence had been revoked on medical grounds two years earlier. |
| Mr Kirkman adjourned the hearing until December to establish whether the force could have seized his car at that time. | Mr Kirkman adjourned the hearing until December to establish whether the force could have seized his car at that time. |
| At the end of the hearing, a senior officer from Nottinghamshire police offered an apology to the families if there was anything the force could have done to prevent the deaths. | At the end of the hearing, a senior officer from Nottinghamshire police offered an apology to the families if there was anything the force could have done to prevent the deaths. |