PC West attended the scene of an accident when Martin Platt crashed his car in December 2003. Craig Harris had caused the accident when he tampered with the brakes of his car in a desperate attempt to split up Martin and his sister Katy whose relationship had pulled the family in two. Craig was ridden with guilt and confessed his crime to his father who gave chase in their car when Martin drove off, trying to get him to stop and pull over. When the brakes failed, Martin crashed into a wall. With petrol leaking from the vehicle, Tommy pulled Martin to safety before the car exploded and he was taken to Weatherfield General unconscious.
Tommy made Craig pull himself together and they concocted a story that they had seen brake fluid dripping as Martin pulled away in his car from his flat in Victoria Street. PC West attended the scene and insisted that the two men come to the police station and give separate statements. At the station, Tommy wasn't allowed to sit in Craig's questioning which was held by West in a special interview suite with video facilities. He stuck to his story and two men were released.