A coroner has concluded that police were correct to chase an 18-year-old driver at speeds of up to 130mph along the M60. The chase happened minutes before Brandon Pryde drove the wrong way down the motorway and smashed into another car, causing the death of both drivers.
An inquest at Manchester South Coroner's Court heard how Brandon, known as Brandon Geasley, had been driving a car reported stolen earlier that morning when he accelerated away from police, initiating a pursuit. The hearing focused on whether police should have discontinued the pursuit at any point, whether there were any measures in place to attempt to bring the chase to an end, and whether the pursuing officers forced Brandon onto the slip road which led to him travelling the wrong way down the M60, seconds before his death.
However, assistant coroner Adrian Farrow concluded that officers were justified in their pursuit, and it was proportionate for them to continue the chase even as higher speeds raised the risk of both the drivers and members of the public being injured in the crash. He identified two deviations from Greater Manchester Police's pursuit protocol, but did not believe either of those contributed to Brandon's death or made the pursuit invalid.
