3 January 2019

Before HM Senior Coroner Mr Andre Rebello OBE
Liverpool Coroner’s Court, Gerard Majella Courthouse,
Boundary Street, Liverpool L5 2QD 

Opens Monday 6 January, expected to last 4 days

Anthony ‘Tony’ Carroll was 70 years old when he was tragically hit by a Merseyside Police vehicle on Christmas day 2018.  He was a much loved uncle, brother and friend. He had spent Christmas day laughing, joking and being surrounded by his family and friends.

Tony was a pedestrian, walking home on Scotland Road, Liverpool when he was struck and killed by a police vehicle at approximately 6.47pm. The police vehicle was responding to an emergency call at the time of the collision. 

Tony’s family hope that the inquest will explore:

• The circumstances leading up to the collision
• The actions of the police officers within the police vehicle
• The emergency response

Police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) reported in September 2019 that the number of road traffic fatalities involving police vehicles are the highest in a decade, with 42 deaths being reported in 2018-19.  Tony was one of four people to be killed by a police vehicle responding to an emergency call in the period.

Tony’s family said: “We are devastated by Tony’s death. We hope that his inquest will be full and fearless and will provide us with the answers to the many questions we have surrounding his death.”

Remy Mohamed, Caseworker at INQUEST who is working with the family, said: “Tony’s sudden and tragic death after being struck by a police vehicle happened at a time when more and more people are dying in this way. The utmost scrutiny is required at this inquest, to ensure any changes required to police policy or practice are identified, to protect the safety of others in future.”

Alice Stevens of Broudie Jackson Canter Solicitors said: “Tony had simply been enjoying Christmas day with his family and was walking home when the collision occurred.  I would expect his inquest to look at the circumstances surrounding the police’s involvement in detail.  We know that in 2018 to 19, deaths involving police vehicles were at a record high and so I hope that this inquest will explore whether any changes are necessary to ensure the safety of pedestrians and other road uses when police are responding to emergency calls.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information and to note your interest, please contact INQUEST Communications Team: 020 7263 1111 or [email protected]; [email protected]

Or contact the team at Broudie Jackson Canter via Alice Stevens, Inquests & Inquiries Solicitor on 0151 282 1700 or Sophie O’Hanlon, Marketing Executive on 0151 282 1700, [email protected]

The family is represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Alice Stevens and Charlotte Halstead of Broudie Jackson Canter Solicitors and Anna Morris of Garden Court North Chambers. The family are supported by INQUEST caseworker, Remy Mohamed.  Other Interested persons represented are Merseyside Police.

The latest statistics on deaths involving police from the IOPC show in 2018-19 there were 42 road traffic fatalities, an increase of 13 on last year and the highest figure in the past decade; 30 of the deaths were from police pursuit-related incidents, an increase of 13 from last year; five fatalities resulted from emergency response incidents, a decrease of three from last year. 

Makayah McDermott, 10, and Rozanne Cooper, 34, were also pedestrians who in a road traffic incident involving police, in this case during pursuit, on 31 August 2016. The inquest into their deaths concluded in June 2019, finding their deaths were ‘unlawful killing’ and identifying numerous failures by the Metropolitan Police. Learn more about this case and others in this Guardian long read (July 2019) about deaths involving police vehicles.