Violent row minutes before tram death tragedy revealed

A policeman told officers he had had a violent argument with his ex-fiancee minutes before she was struck by a Midland Metro tram, her inquest heard.

Ian Bracey, who has now retired from West Midlands Police, became distressed when two officers were despatched to his flat off the Tettenhall Road and told him that 30-year-old Cheryl Flanagan had died.

An inquest into her death heard yesterday that the officers were told to break the news to former Pc Bracey and "note down" any response or comment he made.

Miss Flanagan, aged 30, was struck by a Birmingham-bound Midland Metro at Bilston's Crescent stop near to her family home at Greencroft at around 11pm on December 12, 2003.

Insp Richard Price, from British Transport Police, delivered the tragic news to Mr Bracey at around 4.45am the following day.

The officer told the inquest at Worcestershire Coroner's Court in Stourport yesterday: "He became distressed. He said they had been out drinking, then back to the house and that they had an argument.

"There had been an argument on the bridge over the tram line at The Crescent. He said that Cheryl had been hitting him and pulling the hood of his coat and then pulled off his scarf and thrown it off the road bridge and on to the tram lines."

Mr Bracey told officers he had gone to recover the scarf and thought he saw Miss Flanagan follow him.

The inquest heard he had walked up the tram lines towards Wolverhampton as he "didn't want an argument". Mr Bracey climbed an embankment and went home.

Mr Bracey told officers that said he had changed clothes as his jeans were wet from the rain.

Insp Price said he thought it "peculiar" that a senior officer had told him to find Mr Bracey's house and then wait "out of sight" until a West Midlands Police officer.

Insp Price said he was told by a senior officer that if Mr Bracey made any "significant" comments, he would be asked to accompany officers to the police station. Insp Price had been ordered to arrest him on suspicion of murder if he declined.

The hearing continues.