Police pursuit death - father's support

An investigation into the crash is being carried out

The father of the 19-year-old man killed in a triple car crash in Ceredigion believes police were fully justified in the pursuit which led up to the accident.

Major William Welsh's son Philipp was driving home from work near Llanarth in Ceredigion when the crash happened on the main A487 road last Wednesday.

The vehicle driven by Mr Welsh, from Pentregat, near Llandysul, collided with another car, which was being pursued by police in the opposite direction.

A second driver injured in the accident is critically ill in hospital.

The accident happened just 10 days after Philipp's wife Nicky had given birth to their first baby a son - William Joseph.

"My initial reaction to that is the pursuit was necessary due to the information the police received," said Major Welsh, an officer in the British Army.

"Subsequent investigation will prove substantially what the real cause of this tragedy was.

He has had an opportunity, albeit short, to have a son with the girl he loved - you can't take that away from him Major William Welsh

"I have total faith in the police investigation and the other independent bodies that they have offered us - the burning questions I have will be answered."

Major Welsh said that the family had been devastated by the accident, but he was trying to remember the ways in which his son had been fortunate.

"Although I could sit and think that Philipp has lost so much, he has gained so much by having a lovely family, lovely friends and a lovely son.

"He has had an opportunity, albeit short, to have a son with the girl he loved - you can't take that away from him."

He added that he hoped the delays preventing his son's burial would not be overlong.

"I am led to believe we can possibly not lay Philipp to rest for up to 28 days to allow the whole justice procedure to be carried out.

"Quite obviously we are wishing that to be as hasty and as quick as possible."

The crash happened on the main A487 road

The dead man's wife said she has been "deeply touched" by how kind people had been since the crash.

"Nicky has asked to make it quite clear she would like to thank everybody," said her mother, Nicky Garner.

An official inquiry, supervised by the Police Complaints Authority, is being carried out into the crash.

It has emerged that police had been planning to use a 'stinger' operation to stop the car they were chasing.

A stinger is a device which can be thrown across the road and disable car tyres in a controlled burst.