Man Hit And Killed By Train After Escaping Custody Vehicle Near Welwyn North

A man who died after being hit by a train near Welwyn North railway station had escaped from a custody vehicle while being taken from a police station to court, police have said.

The man, who was in his 40s, had been travelling in a transport contractor’s vehicle from the custody suite at Stevenage police station when the incident unfolded. According to a joint statement from Hertfordshire Police and British Transport Police, he escaped from the vehicle while it was stationary on the A1(M) motorway.

Two members of the transport contractor’s staff were injured during an altercation inside the van. They were taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment following the incident, which happened at about 09:00 BST.

A search of the area was launched after the man escaped. British Transport Police were then called at around 09:40 BST to reports of a casualty on the track near Welwyn North railway station.

Formal identification has not yet taken place, but police said the man’s family has been made aware. A file has also been prepared for the coroner.

Hertfordshire Police has referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Inquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances, and officers are expected to remain in the area while the early stages of the investigation continue.

Image: Google Maps