Cardiff crash victim's aunt says nephew was arrested 'over 30 times but never charged' as she blames cops for death
28 May 2023, 09:43 | Updated: 28 May 2023, 15:19
The aunt of Harvey Evans, who died in a crash on an electric bike in Cardiff, says police arrested her nephew "30 times but never charged him" - as she blamed cops for his death.
Harvey, 15, died alongside his best friend Kyrees Sullivan, 16, on Monday night, shortly after they were involved in a police chase, CCTV shows.
Harvey's aunt, Hayley Murphy, said "they were two children who were chased to death by South Wales Police".
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Ms Murphy also alleged that police arrested her nephew Harvey '30 times over the past two years' - but said he was never charged with anything.
In two separate instances, she alleged police had visited Harvey's home over matters he could not have had anything to do with.
On the first occasion, the family had doorbell video footage showing he was home at the time; the second time he was on holiday so "wasn't even in the country".
On Monday night, Ms Murphy said Harvey had been giving his best friend a lift home on the bike that had been an early 16th birthday present when they encountered police.
"Harvey had only just had this bike and didn't want to lose it. He turned back and the police gave chase," she alleged to the BBC.
She said she had waited at the police barrier with her sister, Harvey's mother, for more than two hours that night "begging them to tell us if they were alive or dead, and they wouldn't tell us nothing".
Rioters hurl missiles at police in 'large scale disorder' at Cardiff crash scene
Ms Murphy added that police officers "came to the house around four hours after it happened, about four hours in total, and they said 'there have been two fatalities but we cannot confirm who they are'."
"We knew it was Harvey, but we didn't get told until the family liaison officer came at around two o'clock the following day," she said.
"How can you treat a family of a young boy like that?"
Read More: Nine arrests over Cardiff riots that broke out following crash that killed two teenagers
The family claimed they had no support for 17 hours - which they blamed on the riots which broke out after the boys' deaths.
Harvey's grandmother Dawn Rees said: "This is what we couldn't cope with because they were lying on the floor. "It was all down to the riots. We had no support for 17 hours and it was because of the riots."
South Wales Police said they "cannot comment any further" due to the ongoing investigation by the force and Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
A spokesperson for the Welsh Ambulance Service said their involvement at the scene concluded before 8pm.
Violent clashes and disorder broke out in Ely on Monday night after CCTV footage emerged of a marked South Wales Police van following the teenagers as they rode the Sur-Ron electric bike.
The rioting saw nine people arrested and left 15 police officers injured.
The claims of a pursuit were denied by Alun Michael, the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales, but the force has since confirmed a van was following Kyrees and Harvey.
The IOPC has launched an investigation into the circumstances.
