logo
Police officer will not face charges over fatal Cardiff e-bike crash

Police officer will not face charges over fatal Cardiff e-bike crash

Independent07-04-2025

A police officer will not face criminal charges after following two teenagers in a van before they died in an e-bike crash in Cadiff.
Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died in May 2023 when they crashed on a Sur-Ron bike minutes after CCTV captured them being followed by a police van.
Tensions between locals and police at the scene led to a riot lasting several hours, during which time dozens of officers were injured, property was damaged and cars were set alight.
Previously, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the driver of the police van had been told they were being criminally investigated for dangerous driving after being served with a gross misconduct notice.
Another officer, a passenger in the police van, was also previously served with a gross misconduct notice.
The Crown Prosecution Service said it would not bring criminal charges against the South Wales Police officer.
Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service special crime division, said: 'Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of the two teenagers following their tragic deaths in May 2023.
'Following a thorough and detailed review of the evidence in relation to a single allegation of dangerous driving in this case, we have decided that no criminal charges will be brought against a South Wales Police officer.
'We have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.
'We fully understand that this will be disappointing news for the families of both boys and will offer a meeting with them to explain our reasoning further.'
The decision is subject to the Victim's Right of Review scheme which allows a victim or their families the ability to challenge the decision.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Reeves to give prosecutors extra £250m to tackle courts backlog
Reeves to give prosecutors extra £250m to tackle courts backlog

Telegraph

time20 hours ago

  • Telegraph

Reeves to give prosecutors extra £250m to tackle courts backlog

More prosecutors are to be recruited, as part of a £250 million courts cash injection to be announced by Rachel Reeves. The funding will tackle record legal backlogs which are forcing thousands of victims to wait more than two years for justice. Secured by Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, the money is a 10 per cent uplift for the period 2026-29. It will enable the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to recruit and retain hundreds of prosecutors to tackle the backlog of cases, which stood at a record 74,651 at the end of 2024. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is expected to emerge as one of the biggest winners in the spending review on Wednesday. The Chancellor will also confirm an extra £700 million to recruit more probation officers as part of an expansion of community punishments to ease prison overcrowding. Ms Mahmood has further secured a £4.7 billion capital investment to build new prisons to help meet the Government's target of 14,000 extra jail places by 2031. Three sites – HMPs Garth, Grendon and Gartree – have already been commissioned. The funding increase is a recognition of the political damage the Government could suffer if it fails to solve the prison overcrowding crisis and reduce court delays. Last year's early release of thousands of prisoners, including some who were filmed toasting Sir Keir Starmer, has been a major factor in undermining public confidence in Labour, according to opinion polls. A Treasury source said the cash injection would 'speed up justice for victims and witnesses waiting months or years for cases to come to trial, after the Government inherited a justice system on the brink of collapse and courts in crisis'. The source added: 'To battle the backlog, this new funding by 2028/29 will mean the CPS can recruit more Crown Advocates and front-line staff to prosecute cases and better support victims.' The MoJ is soon expected to announce the biggest shake-up in a generation of the court system, with thousands of suspects to be stripped of the right to a jury trial. The plans, to be outlined by Sir Brian Leveson, one of Britain's most senior judges, are expected to limit the number of such cases to help clear the backlog. Proposals being considered include the creation of an intermediate court comprising a judge and two magistrates to hear cases that would previously have gone to a lengthy crown court trial before a jury. It is understood Sir Brian has also been looking at the possibility of increasing magistrates' sentencing powers so that they would be able to rule on cases related to offences that carry prison sentences of up to two years. They can currently only imprison convicted offenders for up to a year. Any removal of jury trials is expected to prompt a fierce backlash from many within the legal profession. However, Ms Mahmood has already warned that without such action the court backlog could increase to an unprecedented 100,000 cases. The courts review, commissioned by Ms Mahmood, follows a sentencing review by David Gauke, the former Tory justice secretary, which recommended criminals should be freed as little as a third of the way into their sentences if they behave well and engage with rehabilitation schemes. The proposals, which have been accepted by the MoJ, will also allow killers, rapists and other violent offenders to be freed halfway through their terms rather than two-thirds, if they behave well and engage in training, education and work while behind bars. A Treasury source said: 'The criminal justice system was broken after 14 years of neglect. We need to rebuild not just the system itself, but confidence in it too. You can't make our streets safer if you don't have the resource to put dangerous suspects on trial. 'That's why the Chancellor is going to throw her backing behind battling the backlog in our courts, hiring more prosecutors and giving them the tools to deliver justice for victims as part of our Plan for Change.'

Koran burner told of imminent terror threat to his life
Koran burner told of imminent terror threat to his life

Telegraph

timea day ago

  • Telegraph

Koran burner told of imminent terror threat to his life

An asylum seeker who burnt the Koran has received a police warning of an imminent terror plot to murder him, The Telegraph understands. Hamit Coskun was woken by officers acting on behalf of the Metropolitan Police at 2am on Saturday, who told him of 'an imminent threat', his lawyers said. The officers, who were from another force at a location where Coskun is in hiding, are understood to have read out what is known as an Osman warning. The 50-year-old was last week convicted of a racially aggravated public order offence, after shouting 'f--- Islam' and 'Islam is religion of terrorism' while setting fire to the religious text above his head during a protest on Feb 13. His supporters have accused the Met Police and Crown Prosecution Service of putting his life in danger by pursuing a prosecution against him. The court heard that Coskun, who was living in Derby and had to move to a safe house after a video of the incident was posted online, had been forced to leave his home country of Turkey two and a half years ago to escape persecution. In a letter to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, on behalf of Coskun, Lord Young of Acton, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, stated: 'We consider that the risk to Mr Coskun's life was caused, in part, by the actions of your officers and the CPS. Danger from 'Islamic extremists' 'Your force had repeatedly suggested publicly that Mr Coskun had offended the 'religious institution of Islam'. Doing so has increased the risk to Mr Coskun from Islamic extremists.' Police are obliged to issue an Osman warning when there is intelligence of the threat, but there is not enough evidence to justify the police arresting the potential murderer. A spokesman for the Met Police said: 'There remains an ongoing police investigation in relation to allegations of threats to kill against a 50-year-old male. Given the investigation is ongoing, we won't be able to comment further at this stage.' Coskun was prosecuted under the Public Order Act after burning a copy of the Koran outside the Turkish Consulate in Knightsbridge. Critics of the decision to prosecute him accused British courts of reviving blasphemy laws by the back door in pursuing his prosecution. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, said: 'This decision is wrong. It revives a blasphemy law that parliament repealed. 'Free speech is under threat. I have no confidence in two-tier Keir to defend the rights of the public to criticise all religions.' 'De facto blasphemy laws' Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch added on social media: 'De facto blasphemy laws will set this country on the road to ruin. This case should go to appeal. Freedom of belief and freedom not to believe are inalienable rights in Britain. 'I'll defend those rights to my dying day.' Blasphemy laws were abolished in the UK 17 years ago. In a statement after the verdict, Coskun said the decision was 'an assault on free speech' that would deter others from exercising their democratic right to protest. He added: 'As an activist, I will continue to campaign against the threat of Islam. 'Christian blasphemy laws were repealed in this country more than 15 years ago, and it cannot be right to prosecute someone for blaspheming against Islam. 'Would I have been prosecuted if I'd set fire to a copy of the Bible outside Westminster Abbey? I doubt it.' He has pledged to continue burning Korans and intends to go on a tour of the UK, visiting Birmingham, Liverpool and Glasgow, where he will set fire to the holy book. It is unclear if he will resist doing so until the case is heard at appeal - should he be able to challenge the verdict against him in a higher court. The CPS said that Coskun was not being prosecuted for burning the book. They argued it was the combination of his derogatory remarks about Islam and the fact that it was done in public that made it an offence. The CPS originally charged Coskun, who is an atheist, with harassing the 'religious institution of Islam'. CPS charge amended However, the charge was later amended after free speech campaigners took up his cause and argued he was essentially being accused of blasphemy. Katy Thorne KC, Coskun's barrister, had argued that his actions were not motivated by hostility towards the followers of Islam, but the religion itself. District Judge John McGarva, however, said he did not accept that argument. Giving his verdict, Judge McGarva said: 'Your actions in burning the Koran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by bad language in some cases directed toward the religion and were motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion.' The judge ordered Coskun, who is currently claiming asylum, to pay a fine of £240. A man has admitted assaulting Coskun during his demonstration outside the Turkish Embassy, but has denied using a knife in the attack. The man, whose identity is subject to reporting restrictions, is due to go on trial in 2027.

Man, 50, dies at British beauty spot after getting into trouble swimming in the sea
Man, 50, dies at British beauty spot after getting into trouble swimming in the sea

Daily Mail​

time2 days ago

  • Daily Mail​

Man, 50, dies at British beauty spot after getting into trouble swimming in the sea

A 50-year-old man has died after getting into difficulty while swimming in the sea in South Wales. Coastguard crews, police and paramedics rushed to Tor Bay near Penmaen village on the Gower Peninsula on Friday afternoon after being alerted of the incident. When they arrived, a 50-year-old man was pulled from the water at around 1pm, South Wales Police said. The man, from Sandfields, Swansea, was declared dead at the scene by paramedics at around 4pm. SWP said the man's family has been informed. A witness to the tragic scene told The Sun that a coast guard member had cautioned the area is known for 'dangerous waters' and 'frequent riptides'. They continued: 'There were many emergency services working together to recover the man. They added: 'It looked like they were trying to resuscitate him in the helicopter. 'Afterwards, the climbing team returned to their vehicles and when we spoke to them, he said the man didn't survive.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store