Family of Coalisland hit-and-run victim ‘let down’ by police

THE family of a Coalisland ‘hit-and-run’ victim say they have been ‘badly let down’ by police, after a Coroner outlined multiple failings in the PSNI investigation into the collision that resulted in his death eight years ago.

Father-of-three Steven Conlan (44) was found dead at about 4am on Saturday, January 23, 2016 after being struck by a vehicle on Mountjoy Road at Killen, near Coalisland. It is understood several vehicles were involved, but only one driver stopped.

An inquest into his death, which initially opened in September 2021, concluded in Laganside Court, Belfast, on Friday.

The Coroner found that police made a series of serious mistakes when investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.

Highlighting numerous inadequacies, the Coroner outlined a failure to properly conduct house-to-house inquiries; properly record investigative actions (or not actually pursue the actions); seek out relevant CCTV from the area; properly consider mobile phone evidence until after the inquest had begun; attend a house where relevant witnesses were in attendance; and properly store clothing to allow for forensic testing.

In response, Mr Conlan’s family say they have been “badly let down” by the police.

In a statement to the press, they said, “Their failures meant that we may never find out what happened to Steven on that fateful night.”

During the intervening eight years, his family have held the belief that the police charged with investigating his death made errors which prevented the truth from ever being known.

Speaking after the Coroner’s findings, the family said, “On Saturday, January 23, 2016 we awoke to news that Steven was killed on the road. He had been out with a friend and walked the usual route to his home in Lakeview Park, Killen, Coalisland… a route he had taken numerous times before.

“We have been asking questions for years as to how our brother came to meet his death. Unfortunately, there have been misreports as to what happened to Steven.

“While he had consumed some alcohol that evening, when he left his friend he was not stumbling or staggering.”