Two police officers facing allegations of gross misconduct after they were involved in a car chase that led to the death of a teenager are to face no disciplinary action, because of “unprecedented and unexplained” delays in the bringing about the case.

PC John Wills and Insp Mandy Chamberlain were alleged to have breached the Met's standards of professional behaviour in relation to a ten-mile pursuit down the A3 of a stolen car being driven by Liam Albert, 17, of Vectis Road, Mitcham, who crashed.

He died in hospital eight day after the crash, which happened in Lammas Lane, Esher, on 8 July 2009.

PC Wills was accused of failing to install the relevant in-car video system, failing to provide an appropriate commentary of the pursuit and removing an exhibit from the collision scene without authority.

Inspector Chamberlain was alleged to have issued an instruction to delete photographic evidence taken at the scene and withheld evidence from Surrey Police.

But neither is to face disciplinary action after a Met police panel, sitting on Monday (October 30) found that a fair process was not possible due to the length of time that had passed between the incident and the hearing.

The chair of the hearing, Met Commander Ivan Balhatchet, sitting alongside a Met superintendent and an independent panel member, determined that the “unprecedented and unexplained” delays in this case meant there was a significant prejudice to both officers in having a fair and balanced hearing.

The panel in particular highlighted delays by the Met in arranging the misconduct hearing as well as the length of time the Independent Police Complaints Commission took to complete their investigation.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Martin, responsible for professionalism for the Met said: “It is crucially important for public confidence that police officers are held to account and the sad death of Liam has been investigated twice, through a managed and then independent IPCC inquiry, and fully scrutinised during an inquest.

“However, it is also very important that officers are treated fairly and in the exceptional circumstances of this case the panel determined that could not happen.

"Delays to the IPCC investigation were not within the control of the Met. While there are often some unavoidable delays in arranging misconduct hearings, we will review what happened in this case and I would like to express our regret to Liam’s family if there are things we could have done better."

An inquest jury said in 2011 that the Met had made a “material contribution” to the 17-year-old’s death and should have stopped the chase 2.7km earlier.

Afterwards police said they had reviewed guidelines for chases.

Documents submitted to the inquest showed that after the crash police officers tried to retrieve the phone of PC Rogers, who had been driving the police car, to see pictures he had taken but were refused by him and an Insp Chamberlain.

The photos were deleted when Surrey Police requested the phone be handed over, PC Rogers said in the documents. He retired before the misconduct process began.