UK investigators to brief family of crash couple

The family of a Cork couple who lost a child and an unborn baby in last Friday’s crash in England will today be briefed by independent investigators looking at the police’s actions in the run-up to the crash.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it would brief family members on its role before releasing a statement on what form its own investigation will take into the deaths of Con and Elber Twomey’s son Oisin, 2, and unborn baby, whom relatives said the couple had already named Elber Marie.

Mr and Mrs Twomey are seriously ill in a Plymouth hospital after the horrific collision in Torquay.

The IPCC has refused to confirm or deny if it will be investigating whether police were chasing the Vauxhall Vectra which smashed head-on into the couple’s Volkswagen Golf. The police have said they were not involved in a chase.

The Vectra’s driver was a Polish man who was arrested at the scene but later died. It has been claimed he left a suicide note, that police had been on the lookout for him, and that there is a possibility he might have deliberately crashed into the Twomeys’ car.

Police passed him heading in the opposite direction and were turning as he was seen to swerve into the oncoming Volkswagen.

Due to the police officers’ close proximity to the crash, the IPCC was automatically called in to investigate. Devon and Cornwall police said detectives and collision investigators were continuing to work on the case.

Police released a statement on behalf of the Twomey family members.

In it they said: “Con and Elber Twomey, devoted husband and wife, father and mother to Oisin, who was the light of their lives, are in the thoughts and prayers of everyone who knew them at this time. The shock of the events, which took place last Friday afternoon, are still so raw and heartfelt. Con and Elber, like so many of the good things in life, always came together. The pride they had in the life shared with Oisin was so obvious to all who met them.

“The expectation they had of the child Elber carried adding to this happiness was also so real. As they lie ill, this loss is so hard to take.”

The relatives said the family were embedded in all aspects of their community, Meelin and Rockchapel Parish in Co Cork.

“Their faith too was always evident with a proactive involvement in church. At this time we, their family and friends, pray that this faith is rewarded with a real recovery.

“We pray too for Oisin and baby Elber Marie, born an angel. We ask too for the privacy of the families at this time to be respected so we can focus on helping them in the long recovery ahead.”