The 22-year-old died in November 2018 after being struck by a car on the M1 motorway
A charity has claimed police inaction “delayed the family’s access to justice” after a 22-year-old man was killed on the M1 motorway in Co Tyrone seven years ago.
Darryl Thompson, from the Beragh area, was travelling in a car with others on November 10, 2018, when it is claimed an altercation broke out. The driver pulled over and the occupants got out, soon after which Darryl was struck and killed by a car on the westbound lane of the motorway between junctions 13 and 14, near Tamnamore.
One man was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in the days after the incident, but was later released. After a long wait, an inquest into Darryl’s death began earlier this year, before being adjourned in April until November 24. The inquest is seeking to establish the events leading up to the fatality.
READ MORE: Co Tyrone mum hits out at six year wait for inquest after son’s motorway crash deathREAD MORE: Darryl Thompson M1 motorway death leads to ‘manslaughter’ arrest
Now, in a statement issued on behalf of Darryl’s family, charity The Katie Trust said from the outset they raised concerns regarding what they described as “the limited scope, delayed action, and lack of detailed examination undertaken” during the initial police response to the incident.
The charity was established after the murder of Katie Simpson to support families who have lost a loved one in circumstances where concerns and unanswered questions later emerge.
They said in the case of the investigation into Darryl’s death, “inaction by the PSNI materially contributed to delays in the progression of this case and, consequently, delayed the family’s access to justice.”
Speaking to Belfast Live earlier this year, Darryl’s mum, Edwina Thompson-Clarke said police initially told her it would take three years before the legal side of the case would come to an end. However, after only beginning this year, the inquest is still ongoing seven years after her son’s death.
Describing the delays to an inquest into her son’s death as “very disappointing”, Edwina said the wait has negatively impacted her mental and physical health.
She said: “My anxiety is so bad, the stress – I worry about everything. The anxiety is like a fear of fear, it’s nearly like a fear that’s built into me now. You’re always worried something else is going to happen.
“My physical health has really been impacted, I now have fibromyalgia and different things related to stress, I’m not sleeping. I’m physically and mentally exhausted; grief is so heavy, it’s such a weight, and you carry that all the time.”
Giving evidence at the inquest in Banbridge Couthouse on Monday, November 24, Kellie Keenan, who was a front seat passenger in the vehicle in which Darryl was travelling in, said a fist fight took place between Darryl and the other passenger in the rear of the vehicle, Dominic Daly. She said both men then exited the car and continued their fight on the motorway’s head shoulder.
She then alleged that Darryl was pushed onto the motorway shortly before the fatal collision took place. Earlier in the inquest, Ms Keenan said she could not remember if Mr Daly had exited the car or not.
A spokesperson for The Katie Trust said: “The Katie Trust were deeply concerned about this investigation from the outset. At the beginning of our work with Darryl’s family, we raised serious questions regarding the limited scope, delayed action and lack of detailed examination undertaken during the initial PSNI response. The concerns now emerging publicly reflect precisely the doubts and deficiencies we have been sharing with the family from the outset.
“The death of Darryl Thompson, who sustained fatal injuries after entering the M1 motorway on 10th November 2018, has been the subject of ongoing concern due to unresolved questions around the circumstances leading to the incident.
“We have been providing ongoing support to Darryl’s family during what has been a prolonged and deeply distressing process. Their resilience and commitment to establishing the full circumstances of Darryl’s death are a testament to their determination to secure truth and accountability.
“Our founder, James Brannigan, a former Senior Detective within the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) with extensive experience in homicide and suspicious death investigations, has reviewed the investigative actions taken in this matter.
“His professional assessment is clear: inaction by the PSNI materially contributed to delays in the progression of this case and, consequently, delayed the family’s access to justice. The Coroner is now taking time to consider the next steps.
“This case underscores the critical importance of timely investigative action, early preservation of evidence and meaningful communication with bereaved families who raise legitimate concerns. Procedural delays not only impede the proper administration of justice; they compound the trauma experienced by those most affected.
“The Katie Trust will continue to stand alongside Darryl’s family as they seek clarity, accountability and the answers they have waited far too long to receive.”
A PSNI spokesperson said: “As this case is the subject of inquest proceedings, it would be inappropriate for the Police Service to comment further at this time.”
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