Girl killed in crash after fleeing police car had removed handcuffs, says report
Tamzin Hall, 17, died as she was being taken to a custody suite in Bridgwater by two officers in an Avon and Somerset Police car in November last year.
On Thursday, an annual report on deaths following police contact gave additional details about how Tamzin, who had been arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage, got out of the car.
The report, published by watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct, detailed how she was able to remove her handcuffs and climb from the rear passenger side seat to the front passenger seat of the police car.
The report, which does not name Tamzin, says: 'A female child was arrested for assault and criminal damage.
'She was placed in the rear passenger side of a marked police car and handcuffed with her hands positioned in front. An officer was seated next to her during transport.
'While on her way to custody, the child managed to remove her handcuffs, climb into the front passenger seat, access the front passenger door and get out of the moving car.
'The child ran across the road and was struck by a vehicle being driven by a member of the public, on the opposite carriageway. The child died at the scene.'
The police vehicle stopped on the northbound carriageway of the M5 between junctions 25 at Taunton and 24 at Bridgwater shortly after 11pm on November 11 last year.
Later that month an inquest hearing at Wells Town Hall was told Tamzin, who was a student, got out of the car and crossed the road before climbing the crash barrier.
She was hit by a vehicle driven by a member of the public travelling on the southbound carriageway and sustained fatal head, neck and chest injuries.
The IOPC is investigating her death, including the contact that two Avon and Somerset Police officers had with Tamzin before she died.
It is examining their 'actions, decision-making and risk assessments of the situation and whether these followed relevant training and policies'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News24
3 hours ago
- News24
Police operation halts supplies entering illegal Mpumalanga mine, arrests 1 000
Police have arrested around 1 000 alleged undocumented migrants working in illegal gold mines in Mpumalanga. Speaking from where the week-long sweep took place, Mpumalanga police spokesperson Donald Mdhluli said there could be more arrests because there were still illegal miners underground. 'As they are coming out, they have been taken,' said Mdhluli. Police surrounded the illegal Barberton mine to prevent supplies from entering, forcing those inside to come to the surface. The police operation, which started on Monday, targeted clandestine mining near Barberton, which is close to the borders of Eswatini and Mozambique. 'About 1 000 illegal miners, who are also illegal immigrants, have been arrested,' Mdhluli said, calling it a joint operation between mine security and the police. He added 'there are no fatalities recorded so far'. The arrests come less than a year after a similar operation was conducted near Stilfontein in North West, where at least 90 illegal miners lost their lives before the mines were shut in January.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man said 'get the police' after pulling out 'gun' at Cardiff Central railway station
An erratic and paranoid man took out an imitation firearm and pointed it at the sky at a busy railway station before he was heard saying: "You better get the police before I harm someone." When he was arrested by police at his home, a further imitation weapon was discovered. Benjamin Stockham, 45, approached two security guards on the concourse of Cardiff Central railway station on July 3 last year in a distressed state. He told the two men he "needed protection" and asked them to phone the police. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard the guards believed the defendant was intoxicated as a result of his "erratic and paranoid" manner. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter. READ MORE: City centre road taped off after 'disorder' leaves four people in hospital READ MORE: Welsh city centre named as the worst in the UK - but locals disagree He told the men a county lines drug gang had taken over his home and that he and his partner needed to escape to a place of safety. Prosecutor Abigail Jackson said Stockham was taken to a private room and the police were called, but when he was put on the phone the defendant became aggressive and left the room. He was then seen walking back onto the station concourse on CCTV, and was heard saying: "If they hurt my girlfriend I'm going to kill them." At that stage, Stockham took out the firearm which had the appearance of a "semi-automatic pistol" from the waistband of his trousers. The defendant was then seen to cock the gun and point it to the sky. A homeless person nearby heard Stockham say: "You better get the police before I harm someone, I have a gun." He was then seen to walk in the direction of the Principality Stadium but when the police arrived at the scene they were unable to locate him. Stockham, of West Lee, Riverside, Cardiff, was arrested at his home in the early hours of the morning. A search of the house resulted in the discovery of two imitation firearms, which were both found to be BB guns, but it could not be determined which weapon had been taken to the station. The defendant later pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing imitation firearms with intent to cause fear of violence. The court heard he has 10 previous convictions, for offences including common assault and threatening to destroy or damage property. In mitigation, Nick Gedge said his client had been trying to seek help for problems surrounding drugs and alcohol, and has attempted to rebuild his life. Sentencing, Judge Paul Hobson described the offences as "disturbing behaviour". Stockham was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He was also made subject to a rehabilitation activity requirement for 15 days and ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Outrage at ‘sickening' anti-feminist flyers left on cars at train station
OUTRAGE has been sparked after anti-feminist flyers have been left on cars parked at a train station in Stourbridge. A woman, who did not wish to be named, recalled returning to her car that she parked at Stourbridge Junction Railway Station's overspill car park on Wednesday (July 30), to find a leaflet on the windscreen that read 'just say no to feminism, justice for men and boys.' The woman, from Stourport, has been returning from a trip to Birmingham with her 15-year-old daughter and was left feeling 'sick and worried' about the nature of the flyers. She said: 'We found flyers under each windscreen, including our own, and we turned one over to see that it was a call to end feminism and to get justice for men and boys. 'I felt sick and am worried as to what this person meant by 'justice'.' In response to the flyers, a West Midlands Railway spokesperson said: 'We have been made aware of reports of unsolicited flyering occurring in the station car park at Stourbridge Junction. 'We have a zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory speech and behaviour and will monitor the situation closely.' A spokesperson for Transport for West Midlands added: 'No unauthorised printed material is allowed at our park and ride sites – including flyers placed on cars. 'Staff will stop anyone they see distributing unauthorised material, and persistent offenders could be prosecuted.' The leaflets included the name and email address of the person responsible for distributing them, and they were contacted for comment. The flyers referenced an organisation called Justice for Men and Boys (J4MB) – a controversial group, that was previously considered a political party until April 2023, that is based on the belief that feminism is 'toxic' and 'relentlessly seeks the further privileging of women and girls, regardless of the consequences', at the disadvantage to men. Although he was not involved with the distribution of the flyers, Mike Buchanan, the leader of J4MB, said he was 'delighted' someone posted them. He rejected that the message on the flyers could in any way be seen as threatening or concerning, calling such claims 'fatuous, pathetic and hysterical.' When asked for a comment, Mr Buchanan said: 'Feminism is a demonstrably evil ideology and people should reject it.' The mum who spotted the flyer on her car said she is 'horrified' at the thought of how many people have been exposed to and bought into the group's message since the leaflets were distributed. She continued: 'I am sure I am not the only woman who has seen these leaflets and felt sickened and worried by them.'
