Man, 52, in truck tragedy after he ‘jumped railing’

PROBE CLEARS POLICE OF BLAME FOR ROAD DEATH

A MAN who died after being hit by a tipper truck had moments earlier “jumped a railing” into the road when a police community support officer shouted his name.

Thomas Grogan, 52, died in Rochdale town centre on February 12 last year.

About three hours earlier, police had told him he “may be connected” to an attempted shoplifting at a market stall in the nearby Exchange shopping centre.

Moments before his death, a police community support officer, seeing Mr Grogan on St Mary’s Gate, shouted his name.

Mr Grogan then “jumped a railing” into the road and was hit by a DAF tipper truck near the traffic lights on the corner of Spotland Road.

An ambulance attended, but sadly Mr Grogan was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Friday, an inquest recorded a conclusion of accidental death.

Following his death, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation into Greater Manchester Police.

The IOPC investigation, completed in July last year, looked at the contact GMP officers had with Mr Grogan on the day of his death.

Investigators attended the scene and followed the customary post-incident procedures.

Statements were taken from all of the PCSOs involved and members of the public who witnessed the incident. CCTV, police body-worn video, and vehicle-mounted camera footage was collected and a forensic collision reconstruction report was carried out.

As part of GMP’s enquiries into an alleged incident of attempted shoplifting at a market stall in Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre on the morning of Mr Grogan’s death, a PCSO spoke to him to inform him that he may be connected to the incident.

At around 3.30pm that afternoon, Mr Grogan witnessed two different PCSOs walking towards him as he was sitting down at an underpass.

One of the PCSOs called out Mr Grogan’s name.

But Mr Grogan quickly moved away from the approaching officers and jumped over a railing at the traffic lights. When Mr Grogan attempted to cross the road, he was hit by the truck. At the point at which Mr Grogan was hit, the PCSOs were a significant distance away and were not pursuing him. Yesterday, the results of the IOPC investigation into his death found he wasn’t being chased by officers at the time. IOPC regional director Amanda Rowe said: “The death of Mr Grogan appears to be a very sad accident. “Our thoughts remain with his family and friends and all those directly affected by this incident. “The evidence we gathered clearly indicates that the contact GMP had with Mr Grogan that day was minimal. “Sadly, it appears that Mr Grogan’s decision to cross the road led to his death. “We didn’t find any evidence that the conduct of any of the PCSOs involved was of concern, and they were all treated as witnesses throughout our investigation.” IOPC regional director Amanda Rowe