Update on PC at centre of misconduct hearing connected to tragic death of man, 24

Previously, a hearing into the death of 24 year old Dylan McEwan, also known as Dylan Smith, was adjourned in May 2024 pending the outcome of a possible police misconduct hearing.

The inquest was first opened on January 2024.

Blackpool Coroner Alan Wilson heard at the earlier hearing that Dylan died from hanging at an address in Blackpool on June 23, 2023.

Seeking an update on the disciplinary proceedings, Mr Wilson held a pre-inquest review today (Tuesday April 15), which was attended by Dylan’s partner and her mother.

Mr Wilson explained to them that he was holding the review to see if misconduct inquiries had now concluded.

But he was told there were several issues holding those matters up, meaning the full inquest itself would also be further delayed.

Mr Wilson was told that one reason for the hold-up related to changes in the way disciplinary tribunals were now being handled by the police, meaning new delays.

There were also questions still to be answered about the officer’s continued anonymity, how the officer wanted his case presented and also the question of whether a jury would be needed for the inquest.

Lancashire Police’s representative, appearing by video link, explained that previously, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) would be involved in police disciplinary tribunal hearings, appointing the chair and other panel members and administering the hearing.

However, henceforward, the hearing would now be overseen at by the ACC (Assistant Chief Constable) but because this appointment was relatively new, extra training was needed and would not conclude until June 12.

Officer has now resigned

Laura Nash, appearing by video link on behalf of the officer at the centre of those proceedings, told Mr Wilson that her client had now resigned but that the tribunal could still go ahead as planned, in spite of that.

She said she still needed to discuss with her client how he wanted to proceed.

She said: “The jeopardy is slightly reduced because he has resigned and won’t be dismissed, but there will still need to be a finding of facts about whether he would have faced dismissal. The tribunal will still go through the same process.

“It’s not in respect of the loss of livelihood, it’s reputational rather than financial.”

Mr Wilson asked Ms Nash: “Do we need a jury for the inquest?”

She replied: “I need further information before I make a decision of whether a jury is needed.”

The coroner asked Mr Nash and police representative if they would update him on respective proceedings within the next 42 days.

He said he would look to fix two dates in the diary, one for another pre-inquest hearing and another one for the inquest itself, to help speed proceedings up.

The full inquest would be listed for four days.

He said: “If I don’t fix a date first, but leave that until after these other proceedings, we could be looking at an inquest next year and I would like to avoid that if possible.”