Two newlywed teenagers who died after their car smashed into a coach following a police pursuit were not present at the time of the aggravated burglary that prompted the officers’ response, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

Patrick McDonagh, 19, and his pregnant wife, Shauna McDonagh, 18, veered to the wrong side of the A40 near East Acton in London at about 9pm on Sunday before hitting the coach. The car was being followed after reports of an armed burglary in Harrow.

The couple, who were married last year, were said to be expecting a baby girl in April.

An IOPC spokesman said: “It is understood that police were pursuing the car, a Renault Scenic, for about 10 minutes but terminated the pursuit prior to the crash.

“A National Police Air Service helicopter was monitoring the progress of the Renault when it crashed.

“It has now been confirmed, as part of a separate police investigation, that the occupants of the Renault were not present at the time of an aggravated burglary reported to have taken place in Harrow.

“The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation will examine the information the police had and the rationale for the pursuit.”

Hundreds of tributes to the young couple have been posted on social media from friends and family.

A second man who was in the car was taken to hospital and has subsequently been arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary.

“My thoughts are with the families and friends of Patrick and Shauna, those injured and all those affected by this incident,” said IOPC’s regional director Jonathan Green.

“It is important that we now establish all of the circumstances surrounding this collision … We have therefore launched an independent investigation into the events leading to the collision and immediately deployed our investigators to attend the scene and the post incident procedure.”

