Man 'dumped by police miles from home at 1am' was killed just two hours later
Man 'dumped by police miles from home at 1am' was killed just two hours later
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The devastated family of a man who died after police left him miles from his home in the early hours say "the system failed him massively". They believe dad-of-four Benjamin Connor was "unsafely de-arrested" when he was left at a Metrolink stop "at gone 1am in the morning with no phone, no money, no bank cards - and no way of getting anywhere". Less than two hours later, the 30-year-old was hit by a taxi almost on the M602 in Salford - two miles from where cops left him on December 28, 2021.
The driver could do nothing to avoid him after witnesses reported him walking into oncoming traffic near the Regent Road roundabout in Manchester. Benjamin sadly died from his injuries in hospital. His sister, Billie-Jo Connor, slammed officers and paid tribute to "funniest and most bubbliest" brother after a jury at an inquest ruled he died from "a road traffic collision, contributed to by neglect" on the part of officers involved.
The inquest heard evidence Greater Manchester Police has "introduced, published and implemented a new de-arrest policy". The force said "both individual and organisational learning relating to the safeguarding which should've taken place, and policy" was identified during a subsequent investigation into the tragedy. Ms Connor said GMP had a "duty of care" on the night, but "unfortunately, failed to care", Manchester Evening News reports.
She said: "Ben was such a character. He was the biggest wind up on the earth, with the funniest and most bubbliest personality. Anyone that had the pleasure of knowing him will know that. He was such a laugh to be around and if he wasn’t annoying you, there was definitely something wrong.
