Teen death driver never had a lesson

Waqas Alyas

A TEENAGER who died following a high-speed police car chase, had never had driving lessons.

An inquest heard how Keen Waqar Ahmed Alyas (17), had taken his sister’s Ford Focus at night — without permission — and was driving along Park Road in Glodwick when PC Ian Holt spotted the unlit vehicle.

The policeman turned in the road, started flashing his lights and pursued the provisional licence holder in order to make him stop, but the teen sped off.

PC Holt followed the student in a Land Rover Freelander — a vehicle prohibited from police pursuits — before Sgt Gary Watters, an advanced driver, joined the pursuit in a VauxhallVectra.

An eyewitness to the incident on July 30, 2010, described Mr Alyas as “hurtling” down a 30mph road and said the engine was revving loudly.

Mr Alyas, of Alexandra Road, Glodwick, attempted to make a turn from Oldham Road, Ashton, into Springwood Way but failed, colliding with a tree.

The police officers had to drag the driver from the vehicle, as flames could be seen coming from the engine.

Mr Alyas was rushed to Tameside Hospital but died around an hour later at 3.10am.

Forensic pathologist, Dr Charles Wilson said that Alyas had lost a profound amount of blood, had suffered a fractured femur and had torn his left pulmonary artery.

Toxicology tests showed no alcohol but residual cannabis in his system, but it could not be said when the drug had been taken.

The final witness in the Stockport inquest, Chief InspAndrew Harty, was quizzed by the coroner on whether the radio systems in the police pursuits were sufficient after one witness had earlier said they were unworkable.

The court heard that during this incident there was a shift change taking place in the communications room and while there would normally be two assistants, there was only one.

Mr Harty added: “We have reviewed staffing levels and the branch initiated a change last January. But he insisted that training on pursuits was already under way before this incident happened, adding: “GMP constantly reviews its systems and policies.

“If we can learn from specific incidents we take that on board.”

Stockport coroner John Pollard recorded the jury’s verdict of accidental death on Friday after a three-day hearing.

He said that he would write to the chief constable and the IPCC — who were called in to investigate — about matters which had arisen during the inquiry, including that information stored on the black box of the Freelander had been lost and that there had been a break-down of communication between the drivers and the control room during the pursuit.