Police Officer Regrets Actions Before Tragic Dad’s Death at Metrolink Stop
A police officer expressed regret over her decisions before a father’s tragic death after being left at a tram stop
Salford, Greater Manchester, Benjamin Connor, Metrolink, Police, Inquest
Salford: A police officer involved in the case of a man who died after being left at a tram stop has shared her regrets. She told the family of Benjamin Connor that there are things she wishes she had done differently.
Benjamin was hit by a car on the M602 after a night out on December 27, 2021. This happened just hours after police dropped him off at Cornbrook Metrolink stop, thinking he was okay to be left alone.
Earlier that night, officers had picked him up after a disturbance at a property in Rusholme. During the inquest, it was revealed that he had gone back to the flat with someone he met that evening.
Police were called around 12:40 AM on December 28 after reports of him acting aggressively. The inquest heard that he wasn’t told he was under arrest, yet he was handcuffed and taken to a police van.
Benjamin’s mother, Sharon Weir, had expressed her anger in a letter to the coroner, criticizing the police for leaving her son at the tram station when he was clearly not in a good state.
She pointed out that he had no money, phone, or way to get home during the holiday season and questioned why he wasn’t taken into custody instead.
During the inquest, officers explained that they thought Benjamin was just being removed from the area. They believed he could find his way home from the tram stop.
One officer mentioned that it was common practice to drop people off at tram or train stations. However, he admitted that he should have checked if Benjamin had any means to pay for a ticket.
As they arrived at Cornbrook, they let him go, thinking he could manage on his own. But they didn’t ask him where he was going or if he had a way to get there.
Another officer said it was a mistake not to check if the trams were still running. She acknowledged that it was late and that she should have assessed the situation better.
The officer who led the response to the incident admitted she wished she had handled things differently. She realized she should have spoken to the victim first before making decisions about Benjamin.
Tragically, just a few hours later, Benjamin was struck by a car traveling at high speed and later died in the hospital. The inquest is set to continue next week.