Four died in 100mph stolen BMW crash, Hull inquest told

Mr Sprakes said the BMW had been stolen in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on 12 November 2021 and came to the attention of police in Hull on the evening of 22 November because it was displaying false number plates.

The coroner said Mr Connors, Mr Harty and Mr James were believed to have been involved in the theft of catalytic converters from cars.

He described the police attempts to follow and stop the vehicle as it travelled out of Hull on the A63 “at speed” – appearing to be forcing other motorists off the road.

After speeding through North Ferriby and a red light, the car turned into an industrial estate in Melton where it came into contact with an unmarked police car which was trying to prevent it from leaving a dead end outside Melton police station.

Mr Sprakes said the police abandoned the authorised pursuit when the BMW went the wrong way around the Monks Way roundabout and entered the slip road towards the westbound carriageway of the A63 and headed east towards Hull.

The coroner told the jury the inquest may consider a number of issues, including the police tactics around the pursuit of the BMW and whether Humberside Police “caused or contributed to” the fatal collision.

He said another question for the inquest may be to determine which of the three men in the BMW was driving at the time of the crash.

An Independent Office of Police Conduct report into Humberside Police’s involvement with the incident is due to be published after the conclusion of the inquest.

The inquest is expected to last 10 days.