‘A new investigation is needed into the police’ - father of young driver killed in high-speed crash speaks out

Officers had persistently denied they had been pursuing 21-year-old Jamie Smith from Middlestown before he lost control of his powerful BMW on Heath Common in April 2018.

The traffic officers claimed they were simply “following” him, a technical difference they say which allowed them to drive at speed without putting on their blue lights.

But the jury at his inquest disagreed and Jamie’s father, Paul Smith, says an independent inquiry from another police force is now needed.

He said: “Fundamentally, we have established that he was being pursued and it’s proven what we have been saying all along. The coroner’s court have finally agreed with the family and found that the police were in fact pursuing my son and that through doing so it contributed to his death.

“This means that the investigation West Yorkshire Police held was not carried out correctly.

“Another police force does need to look at West Yorkshire Police. They should be subject to an out-of-area force, who should come in and look at the findings.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), has said the case was referred to them the day after the crash, but deemed it suitable to be investigated by West Yorkshire Police (WYP) themselves.

A spokesman for the IPOC said: “After making a complaint, Mr Smith’s father subsequently appealed the outcome of the investigation to the IOPC. This appeal was independently assessed and was not upheld.

“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Mr Smith and anyone else affected by this incident.”