THE family of an elderly man killed by a police car on Christmas Day in 2018 said today that they hope his inquest will be “full and fearless.”

Seventy-year-old Anthony Carroll was walking home in Liverpool’s Scotland Road at about 6.45pm when the Merseyside Police car, which was responding to an emergency call, hit him.

The inquest opens on Monday (January 6), and is expected to last four days.

A statement from Mr Carroll’s family said: “We are devastated by Tony’s death.

“We hope that his inquest will be full and fearless and will provide us with the answers to the many questions we have surrounding his death.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct reported in September 2019 that the number of road-traffic deaths involving police vehicles were the highest in a decade, with 42 reported in 2018-19.

Inquest charity caseworker Remy Mohamed, who is working with the family, said: “Tony’s sudden and tragic death after being struck by a police vehicle happened at a time when more and more people are dying in this way.

“The utmost scrutiny is required at this inquest, to ensure any changes required to police policy or practice are identified, to protect the safety of others in future.”

Alice Stevens of Broudie Jackson Canter Solicitors said: “Tony had simply been enjoying Christmas day with his family and was walking home when the collision occurred.”