Police started to tail a 15-year-old boy – and tragedy struck just 24 seconds later.
Officers spotted Saul Cookson riding an electric motorbike in Salford. Less than half a minute later he collided with an ambulance that was heading back to its base – just metres from his home.
Despite the best efforts of police and paramedics at the scene and staff at Salford Royal Hospital, Saul died as a result of his injuries following the incident in June 2023. Now the second day of the inquest into Saul’s death has heard about the huge number of events and factors which played out in those 24 seconds.
Neither officer in the car can be named publicly for ‘operational reasons’, and they were given the ciphers E7 and D5 during their appearances at Bolton Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, January 7. The hearing also took evidence from paramedics Laura Jones and Aaron Fitzpatrick who were in the ambulance which collided with Saul.
Officer E7 was the driver of the car, a BMW X5 used as a marked patrol vehicle by Greater Manchester Police, and described how he and Officer D5 had been out on patrol on June 8 2023. The pair had started their shift as normal, catching up on admin at the station before being dispatched to a highway patrol in Bolton.
Speaking to the court, Officer E7 described how it was normal for officers to be assigned a specific area to patrol, but that they could be called to another area if necessary, as well as addressing any incident they might encounter on the way. “Myself and D5 went out to Bolton,” said the officer, “there was an activation for a stolen vehicle, we intercepted that vehicle and arrested the driver. We sorted out the paperwork and continued with our patrol.”
Coroner Mike Pemberton asked the officer: “You then had notification that there was a driver of concern in a Ford Fiesta and there was a suspicion that he was drinking a can of lager at the wheel?”
Saul’s death prompted an outpouring of grief
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Officer E7 replied: “The vehicle was registered at an address in Merseyside, he was on the border. There was a second call that he had been sighted in Leigh drinking from a can of lager.
“We decided to take a look at that given that he posed a risk. There was a third observation that was passed out saying that vehicle was now in Salford.”
Coroner Mr Pemberton asked: “It was while we were in that area that you came across the electric motorcycle that we are dealing with in this inquest?” Officer E7 confirmed this, saying: “It appeared from the right, it’s proceeding down Fitzwarren Street and it takes a left into Lower Seedley Road.”
Tributes laid to Saul at the site of the collision
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Officer E7 told the court that Saul had caught his attention because he believed the kind of electric motorcycle he was riding was commonly used for illicit purposes. He said: “I know they’re frequently used by people committing crime and I knew at that time Salford were having particular issues with those bikes. Not only that but they were a national issue.”
He added: “I remember it being a hot day and the rider appeared to be dressed all in black in a track suit and was wearing a face covering.”
The inquest went into extensive detail about what precisely constitutes a police pursuit, and which officers are cleared to pursue at which level. These included distinct stages of pursuit used by GMP.
Saul Cookson
(Image: MEN Media)
Both officers described the stages, with one being informally trailing a vehicle, for example to check a registration, and another being a ‘covert following’, which means that a vehicle is of interest to police but they are still keeping distance. Once a request to stop is ignored by a motorist then this moves to ‘initial’ pursuit’ where pre-emptive tactics such as stingers can be used.
Finally there is the final ‘tactical’ phase which is a full on pursuit. The court heard that only officers with advanced driving qualifications are cleared to operate the powerful vehicles which can be used in this, and Officer D5 described officers having it drilled into them in training to try and avoid pursuits wherever possible.
Officer E7 said: “You’re pursuing that vehicle and you would request tactical pursuit trained officers. They would try to bring the pursuit to a safe resolution.”
Tributes being laid to Saul
(Image: Andy Stenning/Daily Mirror)
The questions in the inquest examined whether the officers’ following of Saul fell into the category of ‘covert following’ or ‘initial pursuit’, a question the jury must now deliberate on based on the evidence. Both officers told the court that they did not believe it to be an initial pursuit as they had not made any indication to Saul to stop, such as flashing headlights or turning on the siren.
Christian Weaver is the family’s legal representative in court, and questioned Officer E7 whether Saul being seen to glance back at the police car would mean he was aware he was being followed and should pull over. Mr Weaver said: “Had there been an acknowledgement that Saul was aware of your presence does that take your actions closer to that of a pursuit?” Officer E7 replied: “Disagree.”
Asked to clarify what it was he disagreed with, Officer E7 explained when he would consider a pursuit to have started. He said: “Only if the rider or driver shows that they have no intention of stopping after a request has been made to stop.”
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
A portion of Officer E7’s written statement read to the court stated that the officer had believed Saul would have been calm because he would have been aware that he could drive the motorcycle through the bollards where the police car couldn’t follow. Mr Weaver questioned this, saying: “If he stops and waits at the bollards to check the road you might catch up with him, do you accept that?” E7 replied: “Probably.”
Officer D5 had been sitting in the passenger seat of the police car when they began following Saul, using the time to check the details of an alleged drink driver they were looking for. “I’ve been reading that on my phone, I’ve looked up and the motorcycle has been in front of us,” he said.
“I haven’t seen exactly where that motorcycle has come from. I’ve looked up and the motorcycle was in front of me.”
The ambulance pictured at the scene
(Image: Sean Handsford / Manchester Evening News)
He added: “As I’ve looked up from my work phone and seen the motorcycle in front of me, I recall that there was a very brief glance or movement of the head. It wasn’t a dramatic movement but I recall there was a move over the shoulder to see if there was any other vehicles behind or something like that.”
CCTV footage shows the officers keeping pace with Saul on the electric motorcycle as he turns onto Fitzwarren Street and then Lower Seedley Road. The car then comes to a stop in front of the bollards which Saul drives between, before the ambulance appears suddenly from the left and collides with him.
Officer D5 was among those who rushed to Saul’s aid after he was knocked from the motorcycle, being joined by paramedics from the ambulance. Speaking at the end of his evidence, he said: “It does still remain one of the worst days I’ve had, and I do offer my deepest condolences to the family.”
The inquest is underway at Bolton Coroner’s Court
(Image: MEN Media)
While the officers had been beginning to trail Saul, North West Ambulance Service paramedics Laura Jones and Aaron Fitzpatrick and student paramedic Olivia Green had been travelling back to base for lunch around halfway through their shift. Ms Jones and Mr Fitzpatrick described how the usual practice would be for one person to drive the ambulance for the first half of the 8am to 8pm shift, before they switched over.
Ms Jones told the court: “We were driving up the road, we were coming up towards the bollards. Me and Aaron were having a talk as you do in the front of the ambulance.
“I was driving, I was looking straight ahead and then in a matter of seconds a black ball was in front of me and collided with the ambulance. It hit the front of the ambulance and the front windscreen was cracked.
“I stopped the ambulance as soon as possible. We were questioning what had just happened. I looked out of the window on the left hand side and realised that someone was on the floor.”
Mr Fitzpatrick said: “He came out of nowhere when he hit us. Within half a second he was on our windscreen, everything happened so so quickly.”
Both paramedics described how the scene, which was located just metres from Saul’s home, became chaotic as people gathered round. The crew had retrieved equipment from the ambulance and carried out life support, and Officer D5 performed CPR on Saul.
The crew then moved Saul into the back of the ambulance, with Mr Fitzpatrick describing that this would make it easier as ‘ambulances are designed to have everything within reach’. He told the court he also wanted to put ‘four walls’ around Saul so they could focus on helping him without any distractions.
Senior paramedics including air ambulance crews arrived. A paramedic supervisor also arrived and Ms Jones was taken away from the scene.
After being transferred to Salford Royal Hospital Saul sadly passed away from his injuries. A provisional cause of death was given on Monday January 6 as traumatic injuries.
The inquest before a jury continues.