Inquest into the Death of Saul Aiden Cookson

On 9 January 2025 HM Area Coroner Michael Pemberton brought the inquest into the death of Saul Aiden Cookson to a close. The family thanked HM Coroner and the jury for a thorough investigation into the tragedy that was Saul’s death.

Saul was a 15-year-old boy from Salford, involved in a follow by GMP police officers whilst riding a Sur-ron Light Bee electric motorcycle on 8th June 2023. Saul sadly died after colliding with an ambulance whilst emerging onto Langworthy Road, Salford.

The jury heard evidence of the events taking place on 8th June over the 4-day inquest.

The police officers were in the Salford area driving a liveried BMW X5 when their attention became focussed on the presence of Saul riding down Fitzwarren Street, Salford. The officers diverted their vehicle to follow Saul down the street and take a left onto Lower Seedley Road.

The follow of Saul ensued for a short period of time until the police vehicle came to a slow approaching a set of bollards at the end of Lower Seedley Road.

Saul continued through the bollards onto Langworthy Road where he was involved in the fatal collision with an ambulance. The jury heard that the collision was ‘unavoidable’, and that the paramedics in the ambulance immediately came to Saul’s aid once the crash occurred.

The jury found that ‘according to police policies’, the follow of Saul was not a pursuit.

HM Area Coroner Michael Pemberton displayed concern for the lack of delineation around the bollards off Lower Seedley Road, which lead directly onto a busy main road. HM Coroner indicated his intention to write a letter to the council addressing this issue.

The family of Saul released a statement in his memory and commenting on the evidence heard during the inquest:

“Saul was, first and foremost, our son. He was an intelligent, bright, and funny young lad, deeply loved by all who knew him. At the time of his passing, Saul was focused on his GCSEs and had an interview for college arranged for a date not long after he died.

“His presence brought light to everyone around him and the loss of him has left a void in our lives that can never be filled.

“The events surrounding Saul’s death have been difficult to hear and process, but it is important to reflect on the actions that led to this tragedy. On the day he died, the police were following Saul at considerable speed. To any reasonable bystander, Saul was being pursued. However, due to the wording of police policies, such actions are not officially classified as pursuits. We take comfort in the fact that the jury acknowledged this distinction, explicitly stating that the follow of Saul was not a pursuit “according to police policies.”

“This distinction is important because only when an incident is formally classified as a pursuit do the police seek authorisation to continue their actions. This creates a dangerous grey area where high-speed ‘follows’ are unregulated. Addressing this gap is necessary to ensure policing can balance its important role with safeguarding the public, those being followed, and the officers themselves.

“We are deeply grateful to the North West Ambulance Service for their swift and professional actions on the day, particularly the actions of Laura Jones, Aaron Fitzpatrick and Olivia Green. We extend heartfelt thanks to the jury for their dedication and thoughtful consideration during the inquest.

“We are also heartened that the Coroner will be writing a letter about the bollards dividing Lower Seedley Road and Langworthy Road. These bollards, which small vehicles can and often do squeeze through, lead onto a main road and pose a significant safety hazard.

“The events of 8th June 2023 have forever shaped our lives. Not a day will pass without us thinking of Saul, his infectious laugh, and the love he brought to those around him. After his passing, we were overwhelmed – though not surprised – to learn how many people knew and loved him. Saul will always be remembered as the bright and wonderful person he was, and we hope his story inspires the changes needed to save others in the future.”

Saul’s family were represented by Christian Weaver, Counsel, of Garden Court North Chambers, Kelly Darlington, Partner and Stevie Kelly, Trainee Solicitor of Farleys Solicitors.