SEVEN serving police officers from Gwent Police are under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for their conduct after a group of young people were reported missing and later found in a fatal crash on the A48 near St Mellons on March, 6, 2023.
Three people died in the crash - Eve Smith and Darcy Ross, both from Newport, and Rafel Jeanne from Cardiff - while two others suffered serious injuries.
The IOPC have now confirmed that seven officers are under investigation for their conduct during the missing persons case, which saw the group not found until two days after their families had reported them missing on March 4.
One officer is also under criminal investigation for allegedly falsifying their witness statement.
The three young people were part of a group of five who had been out drinking and visiting the Muffler bar in Maesglas on the Friday night and had last been seen in the Pentwyn area of the city before being reported missing by their families, leading to urgent appeals being launched.
Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, suffered serious injuries in the crash.
The car the group had been travelling in, a silver Volkswagen Tiguan, was found in a wooded area off the A48, shortly after midnight on March 6, 2023, almost two days after any of the group had been heard from.
Police later arrested a man for driving the vehicle without a licence or insurance on the day of the crash, but said at the time the offences were not connected to the incident, as well as arresting another man at the scene for "prevention of breach of the peace".
Now, the IOPC have issued an update after widening their investigation following complaints by the victims' families into the police handling of the investigation and the resulting communication with the families.
The officers are under investigation for the following breaches of conduct:
- two officers concerning their review of missing person reports – one officer for potential misconduct and another, who was previously served at the level of misconduct, now for possible gross misconduct.
- one officer for potential gross misconduct concerning their face-to-face communication with family members at a police station and how they dealt with the information received.
- two officers at the level of gross misconduct concerning whether or not they carried out searches of the homes of two of the people reported missing - one of these officers is also under criminal investigation for allegedly falsifying their witness statement.
- two officers at the level of misconduct concerning alleged remarks made at the collision scene
IOPC Director David Ford said: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families and friends of the young people who tragically lost their lives, those who were left seriously injured, and everyone affected by this incident.
“Since the start of our investigation, we have expanded our work to investigate a number of detailed complaints from the families affected. As a result, seven Gwent Police officers have been advised that they are under investigation."
IOPC Director Mr Ford added: "We continue to analyse a significant volume of evidence and assess whether police actions following the missing person reports were in accordance with local and national policies and procedures.
"At the end of our investigation, we will make decisions as to whether any officer should face disciplinary proceedings and whether any matters should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.
“While we have carried out additional work to address the concerns raised, we will conclude our investigation as soon as possible. It is important for all concerned that our independent investigation is comprehensive and thorough."
The IOPC also confirmed they have carried out interviews with and taken statements from family members, relevant police personnel including officers who attended the collision scene, those who took the missing person reports, control room staff, and officers who reviewed and determined the risk assessment gradings.
Gwent Police have issued a statement after the IOPC announced the officers were under investigation.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hobrough said: “Our thoughts and condolences continue to be with the family and friends of Darcy, Eve and Rafel who tragically lost their lives and those who sustained injuries that night.
“We acknowledge the impact that this has had on them and understand how important the findings of this investigation will be to all those affected and the wider community.
“We have been and continue to fully support the investigation which is being carried out by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. It’s important that these matters are investigated thoroughly in an open and transparent manner.”
The force have said they will not be able to comment further until the conclusion of the IOPC investigation.
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