Police commissioner defends comments after two boys killed in Cardiff e-bike crash

A police commissioner has defended comments he made after two boys were killed in a bike crash in Cardiff.

Harvey Evans and Kyrees Sullivan were riding an electric bike when it crashed on Snowden Road last May.

Alun Michael gave an interview the following morning – and denied there had been a police chase in the minutes before the collision.

CCTV later emerged of two boys on a bike being followed by a police vehicle on nearby Frank Road moments prior to the collision.

But South Wales Police have said there was no police vehicle on Snowden Road at the time of the crash.

Mr Michael, the police and crime commissioner for South Wales, told the Commons’ Welsh Affairs Committee on Wednesday that he was “satisfied” his comments were made “appropriately at the time, and with integrity”.

MPs heard the chief constable “was aware” that Mr Michael would make those comments, and he insisted he had been briefed on the incident ahead of the interview.

Responding to questions by committee chair Stephen Crabb, Mr Michael said he had “responded to the best of [his] knowledge”.

He added: “I thought it was very important for the public to know what the current state of knowledge and information was.”

Mr Michael insisted he was “not speaking on behalf of the police, or speaking on behalf of the chief constable”.

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The fatal collision in the Ely area of Cardiff on 22 May sparked a night of rioting.

An investigation into the incident by the Independent Office for Police Conduct is continuing.

In a tribute, Harvey’s family said the 15-year-old was “fun and loving”.

Kyrees was 16 – and his loved ones described him as a “handsome young man”.