Norfolk Police investigated by watchdog after driver killed in crash after chase

A driver being chased by police crashed off the road and later died from his injuries, said the police watchdog.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is now investigating the circumstances of the crash in Little Fransham in Norfolk on 23 May.

It happened at about 5pm as police pursued a silver Citroen C3 on the A47, which left the road and overturned on a verge.

The driver, a 43-year-old man from March in Cambridgeshire, died in hospital on 29 May.

The IOPC were notified by Norfolk Police on the night of the crash, and sent investigators to the scene to assess the situation. They also attended discussions afterwards as officers provided their initial accounts.

They opened their independent investigation on 30 May, the day after the driver died.

Norfolk Police declined to comment while the investigation was taking place.

The IOPC has gathered initial accounts from the officers involved, and begun to review police body-worn video footage, dashcam footage and CCTV from the area.

IOPC regional director Sal Naseem said: “Our thoughts are with this man’s family and friends, and all those affected by his death.

“We will be in contact with his family as soon as possible to explain our role and how our inquiries will progress.

“There is a mandatory requirement for forces to refer to us incidents like this which result in death or serious injury and our investigation will thoroughly examine the circumstances of the police involvement, including whether appropriate policies and procedures were followed.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know