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| Cumbria Police pursuit of Wigan couple contributed to fatal crash, jury finds | Cumbria Police pursuit of Wigan couple contributed to fatal crash, jury finds |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Ryan Duffy and Ellie Marsden died at the scene of the crash | Ryan Duffy and Ellie Marsden died at the scene of the crash |
| A jury has concluded that a police officer's late-night road pursuit of a young couple's van contributed to a crash which killed them. | A jury has concluded that a police officer's late-night road pursuit of a young couple's van contributed to a crash which killed them. |
| Ryan Duffy, 24, and Ellie Marsden, 20, both from Wigan, were found dead inside their vehicle, a Citroen Berlingo, at about 07:30 BST on 5 September, 2021, after it had left the B6260 near Drybeck, Cumbria. | Ryan Duffy, 24, and Ellie Marsden, 20, both from Wigan, were found dead inside their vehicle, a Citroen Berlingo, at about 07:30 BST on 5 September, 2021, after it had left the B6260 near Drybeck, Cumbria. |
| A number of factors contributed to their deaths, the jury found, but among them was the fact that PC Craig Stevenson had been following the couple. | A number of factors contributed to their deaths, the jury found, but among them was the fact that PC Craig Stevenson had been following the couple. |
| He had previously told assistant coroner Joseph Hart during the inquest that he "didn't believe it was a pursuit". | He had previously told assistant coroner Joseph Hart during the inquest that he "didn't believe it was a pursuit". |
| A Cumbria Police spokesman said the force would respect the findings of the inquest and would consider any "actions, learning, training or changes in procedures that need to take place". | |
| The inquest heard the couple had travelled from their Greater Manchester homes to Appleby-in-Westmorland at 22:00 BST on 4 September, where they spent two hours in a pub. | The inquest heard the couple had travelled from their Greater Manchester homes to Appleby-in-Westmorland at 22:00 BST on 4 September, where they spent two hours in a pub. |
| At about 00:30 BST, CCTV footage showed them returning to their van. | At about 00:30 BST, CCTV footage showed them returning to their van. |
| 'High-risk activity' | 'High-risk activity' |
| The inquest was told they were spotted by PC Stevenson, a standard response officer on patrol, who decided to follow them and saw them go the wrong way along a one-way street, the inquest was told. | The inquest was told they were spotted by PC Stevenson, a standard response officer on patrol, who decided to follow them and saw them go the wrong way along a one-way street, the inquest was told. |
| His own Ford Transit vehicle data showed he repeatedly travelled above the speed limit both in Appleby-in-Westmorland and then out on to rural country roads, as he attempted to catch up with the Berlingo. | His own Ford Transit vehicle data showed he repeatedly travelled above the speed limit both in Appleby-in-Westmorland and then out on to rural country roads, as he attempted to catch up with the Berlingo. |
| Both vehicles turned on to a country lane known as Long Rigg but the officer lost sight of the van. | Both vehicles turned on to a country lane known as Long Rigg but the officer lost sight of the van. |
| He stopped 170 metres (557ft) from where the crashed vehicle was later found and sent a radio message to his control room, the inquest heard. | He stopped 170 metres (557ft) from where the crashed vehicle was later found and sent a radio message to his control room, the inquest heard. |
| "Just had a vehicle make off from me on the back roads from Appleby," the message said. | "Just had a vehicle make off from me on the back roads from Appleby," the message said. |
| PC Stevenson told the inquest he was trained to follow and stop vehicles but not to engage in any pursuit which, he explained, was a "high-risk activity". | PC Stevenson told the inquest he was trained to follow and stop vehicles but not to engage in any pursuit which, he explained, was a "high-risk activity". |
| At no stage, he told jurors, did he believe he was involved in a "spontaneous pursuit", as defined by College of Policing policy. | At no stage, he told jurors, did he believe he was involved in a "spontaneous pursuit", as defined by College of Policing policy. |
| The van was discovered off the B6260 near Drybeck, Cumbria | The van was discovered off the B6260 near Drybeck, Cumbria |
| After listening to evidence over the course of a week, jurors concluded, on the balance of probabilities, that Mr Duffy had become aware of the officer's presence and had taken evasive action. | After listening to evidence over the course of a week, jurors concluded, on the balance of probabilities, that Mr Duffy had become aware of the officer's presence and had taken evasive action. |
| The 11-strong jury concluded there were a number of other factors which contributed to the couple's deaths. | The 11-strong jury concluded there were a number of other factors which contributed to the couple's deaths. |
| One was excess alcohol, with a post-mortem reading from Mr Duffy's bloodstream showing he was between two and three times the legal drink-drive limit, with cocaine and ketamine also found in his system. | One was excess alcohol, with a post-mortem reading from Mr Duffy's bloodstream showing he was between two and three times the legal drink-drive limit, with cocaine and ketamine also found in his system. |
| Another factor, jurors found, was driver error and a third factor was that the couple had not been wearing seat belts. | |
| The fourth was PC Stevenson following the van. | |
| "On the balance of probabilities the police officer was engaged in a spontaneous pursuit of Ryan, and this contributed to causing the crash," jurors concluded. | |
| Relatives of Ms Marsden wept as the conclusions were delivered by a jury foreman. | Relatives of Ms Marsden wept as the conclusions were delivered by a jury foreman. |
| The coroner offered his sympathies to the couple's loved ones. | The coroner offered his sympathies to the couple's loved ones. |
| "There is literally nothing I can say to diminish your loss and the tragedy of your loss," he said. | "There is literally nothing I can say to diminish your loss and the tragedy of your loss," he said. |
| Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. | Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. |