A couple who died in a car crash following a police pursuit were not present at the burglary that sparked the chase, the police watchdog has confirmed.
Patrick McDonagh, 19, and his pregnant wife Shauna, 18, died when their Renault Scenic collided with a bus on the wrong side of the A40 in Acton on Sunday. Officers had been pursuing the vehicle after an armed burglary in Harrow.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the couple were not at the scene of the burglary. The police pursuit lasted about 10 minutes but was terminated before the crash, though a police helicopter continued to monitor the car.
The couple, who married last year, were expecting a baby girl due on Valentine's Day, whom they had planned to name Sienna Marie. A family statement described them as 'a young couple who had recently got married and were very much in love.'
IOPC regional director Jonathan Green said the investigation would examine the information available to police and the rationale for the pursuit.
