Man found dead on M4 had been confronted by ‘online paedophile hunters’ and arrested day before death
25 February 2025, 14:29
Sections of the M4 and the M48 were closed into the evening on Saturday, with the knock-on effects of traffic continuing into Sunday morning, Avon and Somerset police said. Picture: Alamy
By Henry Moore
A man who died after falling onto the M4 motorway had been confronted by online paedophile hunters the day before his death.
Loading audio...
The man, in his 40s, had been arrested by Avon and Somerset Police on Friday evening after being accosted by so-called "child protection service" groups.
He was released from custody the next day but was seen falling onto the M4 at around 6:40pm before being hit by vehicles on the road.
Police are not treating his death as suspicious and have referred the case to a coroner.
The man was found dead on the M4. Picture: Google Maps
The force has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), as the death occurred following police contact.
A police spokeswoman said: "We understand this incident may be distressing for some people and we urge you to seek support should you need it.
"You can speak with your GP or reach out to charities such as Mind and Samaritans, who offer support online and over the phone.
"We would ask people not to speculate during this time and to respect the family's privacy.
"We would like to thank people for their patience and understanding while the road closures were in place.
We understand this would have had an impact on many road users and we thank you for bearing with us."
In posts on Facebook, the groups involved in the sting asked for people to "allow his family to grieve in a respectful manner".
A spokesperson for the IOPC confirmed that it would be assessing the case.
They said: "We can confirm we have received a referral from Avon and Somerset Police in connection with a man's death on Saturday evening.
"We will be assessing the referral to decide whether any investigation by the IOPC is required."