A 17-year-old man has died after he was hit by a motorcycle at a funeral attended by 150 people in defiance of coronavirus physical distancing rules.
Aaron Smith, who had three children, suffered fatal head injuries in the incident near Sittingbourne, Kent, on Thursday.
Police officers did not intervene to stop the funeral taking place despite being informed about it the previous evening.
Local media reported that two men had been arrested after what police described as “disruptive and antisocial riding” at the funeral, which witnesses said was attended by numerous motorcyclists. The two arrested men were aged 24 and 32 and were arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving without a licence.
A spokesman for Kent police said: “Approximately 150 people attended a funeral in Sheppey Way, Sittingbourne, resulting in concerns about social distancing during the current Covid-19 pandemic.
“Kent police received notification of the funeral the evening before it was due to take place and was therefore unable to speak to those attending to encourage them to adhere to social distancing measures.
“As a contingency, officers maintained a visible presence during the day and looked to strike a balance between allowing those who attended the opportunity to grieve, while protecting the wider community from any potential health concerns.”
Friends of Smith paid tribute to the teenager online, with one describing him as “so young and talented” and a GoFundMe page to raise money for his family saying he was “taken too soon”.
Ch Insp Neil Loudon said: “Kent police was afforded very little notice about this large gathering and as such a decision was made to allow the funeral to go ahead during what was no doubt a difficult time for those who had lost a loved one.
“Officers’ priority was to maintain a presence while offering protection to the wider community around any health concerns they may have had.”
Loudon added: “Some serious incidents took place during this gathering, which have had an impact not only on those who were involved, but also the wider community.
“As a result, there will be an increased presence of police officers in and around Sittingbourne in the coming days and weeks whilst inquiries take place and to provide some local reassurance.”
