Police officer stops car and makes 'truly shocking' discovery

A police officer discovered a baby laid across the front seat of a car after stopping it outside a school. They flagged down the vehicle at around 3pm on April 23 for a routine check.

They then discovered an unrestrained infant lying across the front seat. Despite there being a baby seat in the back of the car, it was not in use, reports WalesOnline.

Greater Manchester Police's Roads Policing Unit said the "truly shocking" incident happened in the Whitefield area of the city. Further inspection revealed more children in the back seats without their seatbelts fastened.

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The driver was reported for "carrying passengers in an unsafe manner" and "urgent care referrals" were made to relevant schools and social services.

A bodycam image released by the force shows the baby and the driver during the incident. In a post, GMP Traffic emphasised that the child was "not a doll but a real baby", stating: "That's not a doll lay on the front seat. That's a real baby."

They appealed for help from their followers to spread the message that no leniency will be shown to those who put vulnerable passengers at risk, reports the Manchester Evening News. GMP Inspector Jamie Buchanan stated: "We posted an image on social media yesterday which highlights the overarching mission of our roads policing officers; to work towards zero fatalities on our roads.

"Our officers do this by working with the public of Greater Manchester to highlight and educate on road safety issues, paying particular emphasis to re-enforce 'Fatal Four' offences. Make no mistake however - our officers show zero tolerance towards any individual found to be engaging in dangerous driving behaviour.

"The truly shocking detail with this incident is that the vehicle had a baby seat fitted in the rear of the car, where other older children were sat, also unrestrained.

"We continue to tackle behaviours which puts vulnerable passengers and other road users at risk of death or serious injury and the majority of the law abiding public can rest assured that drivers such as this individual, can expect to be faced with the full force of the law."