Police ‘justified’ over Troon car chase that left woman injured

Police were justified in chasing a car that crashed in Troon leaving a female passenger seriously injured, an independent body has ruled.

Strong winds blow sand across the seafront at Troon in Ayrshire where the car chase took place. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) published a report today about the incident that happened on Beach Road just after midnight on 18 October last year.

Officers in a marked vehicle noticed the car driving erratically on the streets of the Ayrshire town and activated blue lights and siren.

Depsite initally appearing to slow down the driver then accelerated, leading police on a two-mile pursuit until he failed to negotiate a bend and crashed into the boundary wall of a house.

He was injured and the female passenger seriously injured.

The Pirc report said the incident was caused by the man driving at excessive speed and losing control of the car.

The man was arrested and charged with dangerous driving.

He was recently sentenced to 27 months in prison, allowing the Pirc report to be published.

The report said: “The pursuit was carried out in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures and was justified and proportionate to the circumstances.

“The cause of the road crash and the injuries to the female passenger were as a result of the driver of the car driving at excessive speed and losing control of the car.”