Police followed Belper train crash victim before death

Detective Chief Inspector Julian Wilson, of Derbyshire Police, said officers had spoken to the man, named on social media as 16-year-old Mitchell Rodgers, shortly before the incident at around 10pm on Saturday night, and had followed him ‘from a distance away’.

The force has now referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

A spokesman for the IPCC stated this was a matter of course in incidents of ‘death or serious injury following police contact’.

He confirmed that the commission has now launched an independent investigation into the matter.

Det Ch Insp Wilson said the police are currently investigating the incident as a ‘tragic accident’ rather than a deliberate act.

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