The family of a 23-year-old man who died after his car ploughed into a pub following a police pursuit have spoken of their 'extreme disappointment' and 'incredible frustration' at the inquest process.
Will Place, from Heywood, had been watching England play Slovakia in the European Championships on Saturday, June 30, 2024. After Jude Bellingham's 95th-minute equaliser and Harry Kane's extra-time goal secured a 2-1 win, Will went to The Woolpack pub in Heywood, where he drank four to five pints of Stella. A friend then drove his car into Rochdale town centre, where they visited Empire and Ko Ko Lounge, where he is said to have consumed three further 'mixed drinks'.
Police pursuit and crash
Shortly before 3am, Will told his friend he was tired and going home. She said he told her he was 'going to get an Uber' and asked for his car keys back, as his house keys were attached. CCTV footage shown at an inquest at Rochdale Coroner's Court captured Will getting into his car at 3.04am before driving off. Shortly after, he ran a red light in front of a marked police van with two officers inside.
The officers began following him and activated their lights and sirens, but he failed to stop, and a short 'spontaneous' pursuit began, during which he is said to have reached speeds of up to 70mph. The pursuit was called off due to a lack of 'tactical options' or resources, and at 3.12am the police van turned off its emergency equipment and drove in the opposite direction. A minute later, Will's car crashed into the White Lion pub at the junction of Rochdale Road and York Street. A fire broke out, engulfing the vehicle, and part of the building collapsed on top of it. His body was recovered more than 45 minutes later.
Inquest findings
A post-mortem concluded he died of a bleed on the brain caused by a 'traumatic head injury', with 'alcohol misuse' listed as a contributing factor. Toxicology tests showed the level of alcohol in his blood was 163mg per decilitre, just over double the legal drink drive limit of 80mg per decilitre. The inquest heard the family had concerns over the 'conduct' of the police involved, the 'dangerous nature' of the pursuit, and the lack of dashcam and body-worn video footage.
PC Sarah Hardman, who was driving the pursuing Transit police van, told the inquest she 'had a duty to at least attempt to stop that vehicle'. Neither an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) nor the inquest jury found any improper conduct by GMP officers.
Family's response
Will's mum, Beverley Place, a local councillor in Heywood, said the time taken to conclude the inquest was 'just cruel' and that his loved ones had been forced to 'live everything again'. She said she believes there are still 'so many things that remain unanswered in respect of the actions of the police' and that they will now likely 'never get those answers'.
Will, a passionate Manchester City fan, had recently graduated with a degree in multimedia sports journalism and had been doing commentary and match reports for local non-league club Ramsbottom United. He had also taken over his granddad's farm and was working as a Tesco delivery driver. Coun Place said her son had 'so much to live for'.
In their conclusion, the jury said that after the police initiated their emergency equipment, Will 'failed to stop and continued to increase his speed'. They added that his 'speed was excessive throughout the pursuit and in contravention to the speed limit', and that the loss of control occurred as he was approaching the bend at least 76.6 miles per hour. They also noted that the severity and location of the fire meant it could only be dealt with by the appropriate emergency services, and that the structural integrity of the building was compromised.
