A police watchdog has cleared two officers of any blame after they chased a stolen vehicle which hit a wall, killing the 16-year-old driver. But it has recommended that defibrillators should be available in every vehicle in the Cheshire Constabulary's Roads and Crime Unit.
Kyle Hudson, 16, was driving a Toyota Yaris when he crashed on Hall Moss Lane in Bramhall in the early hours of November 13 2020. In a statement to an inquest this week, his mother said he 'made a mistake and paid the ultimate price'. Kyle, also sometimes known as Kyle Brotherton, was rushed to hospital but died the following day from his injuries.
An inquest at Stockport Coroner's Court determined Kyle died as a result of a road traffic collision. In a statement issued after the hearing, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said its investigation had concluded that officers who pursued Kyle in Cheshire before the fatal crash had acted in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures.
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In a statement, the IOPC said: "Our investigation, which concluded in April 2021, found that a pursuit commenced when officers were carrying out an area search in Handforth, following a report of an attempted burglary. Officers spotted a Toyota Yaris at 3.42am on Wilmslow Road, in the area near to the roundabouts above the A555.
"In-car footage from the police car showed the Yaris speeding up when the police car was behind it. The emergency equipment of the police car was activated and, after a short pursuit, the Yaris crashed into a wall on Hall Moss Lane, Bramhall, Stockport. Officers carried out first aid as soon as Kyle, the driver, was taken out of the car in an attempt to save his life before paramedics arrived at the scene."
Kyle sadly died in hospital the following day. His passenger, Ryce Mendoza, was taken to hospital with serious injuries, including a broken hip.
IOPC investigators attended the scene of the collision and reviewed video footage of the pursuit, police radio transmissions and obtained accounts from officers and members of the public during the investigation.
The IOPC said: "The evidence showed that contact between the police and the Yaris was limited to a short pursuit over a distance of approximately two miles and for less than two minutes from the initial sighting. There was no direct contact and officers did not witness the crash.
"We concluded that while police presence may have affected the manner of Kyle’s driving, the evidence indicated the actions of officers were in line with the applicable policies and procedures."
During an initial inquest in March 2022, the Coroner discharged the jury and relisted the hearing for it to take place this week. IOPC Regional Director Catherine Bates said: ““Our thoughts remain with Kyle’s family and friends and all those affected by the tragic incident.
"Our investigation was independent of the police and aimed to understand events leading up to the collision. We found the officers acted appropriately during and after the collision which followed a short pursuit.
“The evidence we gathered was provided to the coroner to assist with the inquest proceedings, which we hope has helped answer some of Kyle’s family’s questions about that day. We carefully considered whether there were any learning opportunities arising from the investigation. The investigation made an organisational learning recommendation to Cheshire Constabulary that defibrillators are available in every Roads and Crime Unit Vehicle."
Kyle, who the inquest heard suffered a cardiac arrest at the scene, was initially taken to Stepping Hill hospital where a CT scan found he had suffered numerous fractures to his skull and facial bones, as well as damage to his lungs and a suspected fracture of his tailbone.
He was transferred to a specialist unit at Salford Royal hospital however was declared dead by staff there shortly before 12.30pm on November 14. Home Office pathologist Professor Philip Lumb said he had concluded his cause of death was head and chest injuries.
Mr Mendoza told the inquest Kyle was driving at a "fast speed" which he estimated to be around 50mph, later saying he thinks they reached speeds of up to 80mph during the pursuit. He said he was "scared" due to how the car was being driven and he believed Kyle was "driving as if he was scared."
In a statement read by the coroner, Kyle's mother Gemma Hudson said Kyle "really did love life, and lived life to the max." She said he had "never been in trouble with the police before".
"He made a mistake and paid the ultimate price," she said. She said his death had "torn my family apart" and that "life will never be the same again without him." Kyle's grandfather, Graham Hudson, described him as the "perfect grandson".
