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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
James Rodger & Sam Elliott-Gibbs

Mum's fury as son, 12, killed by driver who had told police he wanted to 'run kids over'

A mum whose young son was killed by a driver who told police he 'wanted to run kids over' has slammed the Independent Office for Police Conduct's investigation.

Tragic Harley Watson was hit outside Debden Park High School in Loughton, Essex, on December 2 2019.

The boy was killed by schizophrenic motorist Terence Glover who was detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act last year.

The nine-day inquest heard Glover, 52, made repeated 999 calls in the months before the crash, where he said he "might run some schoolchildren over" before adding: "I’m an animal, I’m a monster."

The 12-year-old was unlawfully killed, the inquest ruled in July.

Harley Watson, 12, died outside his school when he was hit by a car driven by Terence Glover (PA)
The 52-year-old was detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act (PA)

But an investigation found that no further action was needed after a complaint was raised, BirminghamLive reports.

Jo Fricker has spoken out at the decision and believes nobody is being held accountable for her son's death.

Speaking after the inquest, Deputy Chief Constable Andy Prophet apologised for the "failings by Essex Police identified at the inquest".

He said: "We have delivered more training to our contact handlers and our colleagues who respond to the calls we receive for help."

The boy was hit outside Debden Park School in 2019 (Phil Harris)

Now the grieving mum has said: “My son should be 15 right now and enjoying his summer holidays with his friends. Instead, all we have are his belongings.

"I was there at the inquest. I heard the evidence and saw the multiple failings.

“The IOPC report contradicts everything we heard. As far as I am concerned, the police are in the firing line alongside Glover.”

She added: “The police had all the evidence there to know Glover was a dangerous man. I cannot find the words to describe the frustration I feel knowing they were so close to putting him where he needed to be and that my son might not have died.

Terence Glover appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court (PA)

“Glover was effectively going up to police with his hands in handcuffs and saying, ‘Take me’ and the police were turning him away.

"They have no idea what trauma I have been through and to produce this report finding no one accountable is a mockery of my son’s memory.”

A spokeswoman for Essex County Council apologised to the family "for the shortcomings of the Mental Health Act assessment performed on Mr Glover on 30 September 2019".

The authority said it had since improved its operating procedures and implemented "safer practices".

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