Cardiff riots: Killed teenagers not chased, say police

Two teenagers who died successful an electrical motorcycle clang successful Cardiff, which sparked riots, were not being chased by police, the constabulary commissioner has said.

Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died successful the crash connected Snowden Road, Ely, soon aft 18:00 BST connected Monday.

Alun Michael, South Wales' constabulary and transgression commissioner, previously denied that immoderate constabulary pursuit had occurred.

CCTV footage shows a constabulary van pursuing a motorcycle 900m (about 3,000ft) from the clang tract minutes earlier.

The deaths sparked a riot successful Ely which saw cars acceptable alight, fireworks thrown astatine constabulary and 15 officers injured.

On Tuesday, Mr Michael said: "It would look that determination were rumours, and those rumours became rife, of a constabulary pursuit - which wasn't the case."

Later connected Tuesday South Wales Police said it was "studying CCTV and tracking information from the constabulary vehicle", adding that determination were "no constabulary vehicles connected Snowden Road" astatine the clip of the crash.

"I was assured, and I americium inactive assured, that the youths were not being chased by the constabulary astatine the clip of the roadworthy postulation accident," Mr Michael told Radio Wales Breakfast connected Wednesday.

Mr Michael denied being misinformed erstwhile helium antecedently claimed that nary constabulary pursuit had occurred.

"What happened was footage emerged of thing that happened a abbreviated clip earlier the roadworthy postulation accident, and that excessively needs to beryllium investigated.

"That was not disposable to the constabulary oregon to maine astatine the clip erstwhile we responded to the archetypal happening that happened, which was a roadworthy postulation accident," helium added.

Mr Michael claimed the CCTV footage was filmed 5 minutes earlier the clang occurred.

"There was nary constabulary conveyance successful the roadworthy wherever the clang happened. There was a constabulary van successful different thoroughfare and the constabulary were called rapidly to the mishap and conducted CPR," helium added.

"That is being investigated arsenic good and the second is being referred to the autarkic bureau for constabulary behaviour truthful thing that comes successful needs to beryllium investigated afloat truthful we person the afloat picture."

Police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), has said it is sending investigators to measure "whether the IOPC volition transportation retired an autarkic investigation".