A man died on a railway line in Hertfordshire after leaving the vehicle that was transporting him to a court hearing, Hertfordshire Police confirmed this week.
The man, whose identity has not been released, exited the police transport during the journey. He was subsequently struck by a train and died at the scene.
Hertfordshire Police have referred the circumstances of the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the standard procedure where a person dies following contact with police. The IOPC will determine whether the manner of the man's custody or conveyance contributed to his death.
No details have been released regarding the specific court he was being taken to, the charges or proceedings that awaited him there, or the location at which he left the vehicle.
He did not make his court appearance.