A POLICING expert has explained how reports of missing people are handled after family members of three people found dead criticised how long it took officers to respond to reports they were missing.

Eve Smith, Darcy Ross, and Sophie Russon – all from Newport – and Rafel Jeanne and Shane Loughlin – both from Cardiff – were reported missing over the weekend.

The group had been on a night out in Newport, and were last seen in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Gwent Police issued a missing persons appeal for the group on Sunday, and the car the group were last seen in was discovered hours later – shortly after midnight on Monday.

It was later confirmed that Ms Smith, Ms Ross and Mr Jeanne had died, while Ms Russon and Mr Loughlin were taken to hospital, where they were in a “critical condition”.

Family members and friends of those involved in the crash have criticised the police for their response to the initial missing person reports – with Ms Russon’s mum telling the Daily Mail that Gwent Police “didn't take it seriously”. 

In a joint statement, South Wales Police and Gwent Police said that missing persons reports were made to Gwent Police at 7.34pm, 7.43pm, and 9.32pm on Saturday, March 4, and to South Wales Police at 5.37pm on Sunday, March 5.

South Wales Argus: Tributes at the scene of the crash on the A48 at St Mellons.Tributes at the scene of the crash on the A48 at St Mellons. (Image: Newsquest)

Professor Colin Rogers, professor of policing and security at the University of South Wales, told the Argus how police forces respond when receiving reports of a missing person.

“A missing person is allocated to a police officer to investigate,” he said. “They have to complete a risk assessment.

“The criteria include age, vulnerability, their physical and mental condition, the time elapsed, and the circumstances of the disappearance.

“Once all this information has been risk assessed, that will drive the response.

“For example, a child missing would be classed as vulnerable, so the response would be far more immediate than someone that doesn’t meet any of those criteria.

“Depending on the risk assessment, they may have a point in time before they [respond], because so many missing persons turn up within 24 hours.

“Whoever received the information looked at it using the risk assessment criteria, and decided, therefore, it would not have police resources thrown at it.

“It’s just a tragic, tragic incident for the families and the people involved.

“I am sure the police are trying their best to help to assist the families over this.”

Both South Wales Police and Gwent Police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), a move they say is in line with normal policing practices.

Gwent Police said it had referred the case to the IOPC “due to death or serious injury during or following police contact”.

Professor Rogers said this was an example of a mandatory referral, meaning the force was legally obligated to do so.