Inquest opened into crash deaths

Accident investigators were called to the scene

An inquest has opened into the deaths of a young couple who died when their car left the road while being followed by a police patrol vehicle in west Wales.

A police car was following Kathlyn McMullan, 17, and Michael Stuart Jones, 20, when the car they were in careered off the A475 near Pentrebach, Lampeter in Ceredigion.

Kathlyn McMullan: Crash victim

The pair, from Llanybydder, were on their way home after fetching a takeaway meal when the accident happened.

The couple had a 20-month-old son Ryan.

Eighteen-year-old Luke Jones, who was also involved in the accident, is in a serious but stable condition at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

On Monday, the coroner for Ceredigion opened and adjourned the inquest to a date to be fixed.

Post mortem examinations had earlier been carried out.

Ms McMullan's family has questioned why the police should have been chasing the car, which was returning from a local takeway shop.

A police investigation has been launched into the crash, which occured at around 2245GMT on Friday.

Complaints authority

It is not known who was driving the car, and neither the police nor the Police Complaints Authority could confirm the speed at which the car was travelling.

"As is usual in a tragic incident like this, the PCA has the matter referred to it in order that a member of the authority can supervise the investigation," said Leo Pilkington, of the Police Complaints Authority.

"It seems that late last night a car was stopped, or tried to be stopped, by police."

Michael Jones: Died in accident

"It didn't stop. Police followed it and shortly after that tragically the car left the road," said Mr Pilkington.

None of the officers involved in the crash have been suspended.

Chief Superintendent Andy Edwards expressed their condolences to the families of the two young people who died.

He said police were anxious to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time.

Ms McMullan and Mr Jones leave a 20-month-old son, Ryan, who is being cared for by her family.

Her brother Shaun said: ""It is heartbreaking for Ryan. He is a lovely little lad and they had just had a great Christmas together.

"They called him their little cherub. He is advanced for his age but of course he doesn't realise what has happened.

"He keeps on asking for his mummy and daddy."