Young woman died in crash after speeding off from police traffic stop (2025)

Xena Georgiou was rushed to hospital following a police pursuit on in December 2023 and her life support machine was switched off later that day.

An inquest has found that there was 'nothing that could have been done' to prevent the death of a 20-year-old woman who died after fleeing police following a routine stop.

Xena Georgiou, described as 'kind, loving and generous', lost her life after a police pursuit on December 3, 2023. She was rushed to hospital but succumbed to her injuries later the same day.

An inquest at South Manchester Coroners Court ruled her cause of death to be a road traffic collision.

Testimonies during the inquest recounted how Xena had been behind the wheel of a BMW One Series, accompanied by her "close friend" Yasmin Tanker in the passenger seat and Jake Bosquet in the rear, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Both passengers were called to give evidence but could provide only "limited information" due to the "significant injuries" they themselves incurred from the accident. Footage from bodycam and dashcam presented in court illustrated events on the night of December 3. It shows Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers Nathan Lowe and PC Stephan Bielizna conducting a routine stop after noticing the BMW on Washway Road, Sale.

On checking their system, it became apparent that the vehicle was uninsured and not registered within the Greater Manchester area. Furthermore, the court was informed that earlier on the same day, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras had recorded the vehicle in Longsight, Wythenshawe, and Northenden.

When a marked police car signalled for Xena to pull over, she "immediately complied". However, during the roadside interaction with the officers, she provided her mother's name and a "date of birth that was obviously not hers."

She presented the officers with a screenshot of temporary insurance cover bearing her mother's details. PC Lowe, one of the officers at the scene, was "satisfied" that there was insurance but remained unconvinced about the authenticity of the details provided.

The officers requested Xena to step into their vehicle for a fingerprint scan. It was at this juncture that the BMW abruptly "screeched away", prompting one officer to exclaim, "what's she doing?" before initiating a pursuit.

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The inquest heard that the BMW had been purchased at a police auction in Doncaster just a week prior, after Xena convinced her mother, Catherine Hayden, to buy it for her. Catherine informed the court that she had given Xena money to insure the car under her name. However, Xena "had not insured the car".

Temporary covers had been taken out on the BMW by Xena's mother and sister previously, but "none of the policies provided insurance cover for Xena to drive the BMW". The inquest also revealed that Xena "had been in touch with her friends to ask them to take out insurance on her behalf". Her failure to secure insurance "may be the reason why she drove away."

During the ensuing chase, the BMW was pursued through several residential streets in Sale, with Xena running a red traffic light. She lost control on a bend on Marsland Road and collided with a parked vehicle.

The pursuit lasted just shy of two minutes, and the court was informed that at the moment of impact, she was likely travelling at speeds over "77 mph." One officer expressed his shock at the severity of the damage, noting he couldn't open the car from the driver's side.

The incident prompted a substantial emergency services response, and a retired trauma surgeon from the public also "assisted for a short time".

Xena was taken to hospital urgently, but despite all efforts by medical personnel, her life support was turned off, and she passed away on December 3, 2023, at the Royal Manchester Infirmary. The court was told that "Nothing could have been done at an early stage to save Xena's life".

Her mother Catherine, through tears, spoke of her daughter as "outgoing, kind, funny, kind, loving, very generous", and as someone who would "help people even though she was struggling." Catherine also mentioned that Xena "could also be fiery" and "outspoken."

After expressing gratitude to the jury for their "work, close attention and care" during the inquest, assistant coroner Adrian Farrow addressed Xena's loved ones, saying: "I am sorry that we have had to meet in these circumstances."

He concluded by offering his sympathies and remarking: "This has been a very sad inquest, most inquests are sad but this particular one was sad for me to hear. I hope that during the inquest you have at least had the comfort of hearing all the information surrounding Xena's death."

Following the incident, an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation concluded that, whilst the police presence may have influenced Ms Georgiou's driving style, there was no evidence to suggest that any officer acted in a way that would warrant disciplinary action or had committed a crime.

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