Replies

Alright, alright, I'm new at this "breaking news on FR" business... ;-)

(This from http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1258&storyid=903220 - does that help a little more?)

POLICE have denied they were chasing a teenager when he was flung off his bicycle and impaled on a metal fence, suffering fatal injuries.

Thomas Hickey died in Sydney's Children's Hospital yesterday of chest, neck and internal injuries after what police said was a tragic and freak accident.

Police would not comment whether there was an arrest warrant out for the 17-year-old, who died just minutes after spotting officers.

The youth's mother Gail Hickey said witnesses saw the teenager being chased by police just before he came off his bike and was impaled on the fence in inner-city Waterloo.

"Police chased him," she said.

"Four people saw him and they said police chased him."

Redfern Police held a press conference yesterday to ask for witnesses to come forward.

Inspector Bob Emery said there was no pursuit and at the time of the accident police were patrolling several blocks from where the incident occurred.

"They were some distance [away]. They were in the area patrolling," he said yesterday.

Minutes before, police and the boy had crossed paths but they did not try to pursue him because he was not a person of interest, Insp Emery said.

Asked whether Hickey may have been fleeing because he saw the police, Insp Emery said it was impossible to know what the youth had been thinking.

Asked about reports that a warrant was out for Hickey's arrest, Insp Emery replied: "That's not an issue.

"He wasn't being sought by the police, he wasn't a person of interest to them."

Insp Emery said witnesses saw the youth flung into the air but, apart from the bike having "virtually no brakes" he was unsure what happened.

"I don't think that it will happen again in another 100 years," he said.

"It is a tragedy all round to lose a 17-year-old in such a freak accident."

He also said the fence was not dangerous and did not have pointed palings.

"I don't think you would see it as an accident waiting to happen," he said.

Mrs Hickey described her son as "little for being 17" with a happy personality.

Police are preparing a report for the coroner on the death.