Man killed by train after escaping custody van on A1 ahead of court hearing

A man in his 40s was killed by a train near Welwyn North station after escaping from a custody van that was transporting him to a court hearing

Peter Hennessy UK & World News Editor and Tom Sanders

00:52, 29 May 2026

A man died after being hit by a train near Welwyn North railway station(Image: Newsquest / SWNS)

A man was struck and killed by a speeding train after fleeing from a custody vehicle transporting him from a police station to a court hearing, police have confirmed.

The man, who was in his 40s, broke free from the vehicle[1] while it was stationary on the A1 motorway, Hertfordshire Police and British Transport Police (BTP) said in a joint statement.

Following his escape, BTP conducted a search[2] of the surrounding area, where officers discovered a casualty on the tracks close to Welwyn North railway station, reports the Mirror[3].

Two members of transport contractor staff were also taken to hospital during the escape attempt after "an altercation in the van," though neither is believed to have sustained serious injuries.

Formal identification of the body is yet to take place, although police have confirmed that the man's family has been informed of the incident.

The escape took place at around 9am on Thursday, the force added.

Hertfordshire Police has since referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and a file has been passed to the coroner.

Local resident David Elsdon, 82, who lives near the train station, said he had never witnessed such a large police presence and described the incident as "a bit of a shock.

"We were just out the front ready to leave for the town and inundated with a number of police cars coming along," he told the BBC[4].

"I think we passed 10 in total before we got out on to the main road." Enquiries are ongoing "to establish the full circumstances and officers will remain in the area while initial investigations continue", according to a statement from a police spokesperson.

References

1. ^ from the vehicle (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
2. ^ BTP conducted a search (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
3. ^ the Mirror (www.mirror.co.uk)
4. ^ BBC (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)