A ‘SWEENEY’ POLICE DRIVER WHO ACCIDENTALLY MOWED D

A ‘SWEENEY’ POLICE DRIVER WHO ACCIDENTALLY MOWED DOWN A 78 YEAR

OLD WOMAN WHILE SPEEDING TO THE SCENE OF AN ARMED BANK RAID FACES

PROSECUTION.

MRS ANNE RICHARDSON, OF SANDRINGHAM DRIVE, WELLING, KENT WAS

KILLED AFTER THE UNMARKED FLYING SQUAD CAR PLOUGHED INTO HER AS SHE

WALKED ACROSS BELLEGROVE ROAD, WELLING ON APRIL 18 LAST YEAR.

AFTER WALKING INTO THE PATH OF THE CAR SHE SUFFERED MULTIPLE

INJURIES FROM WHICH SHE DIED A MONTH LATER.

IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT READ TO SOUTHWARK CORONERS COURT CAR

DRIVER PC GEOFFREY BLANCHARD SAID: ‘SHE DIDN’T LOOK AT ANY STAGE.

SHE APPEARED COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO THE EXTREMELY LOUD WARNING

SYSTEM AND FLASHING HEADLIGHTS OF THE POLICE CAR.

‘
THE 56 YEAR OLD OFFICER IS CURRENTLY FACING A SUMMONS FOR

DRIVING WITHOUT DUE CARE AND ATTENTION, THE COURT WAS TOLD.

MR HENRY BLAXFORD, COUNSEL FOR THE DEAD WOMAN’S FAMILY HAD

EARLIER SUGGESTED THAT THE CALL TO WHICH THE OFFICERS WERE
RESPONDING ‘WAS NOT URGENT AT ALL.

‘
THIS WAS VEHEMENTLY DENIED BY THE OFFICERS INVOLVED.

UNDER CROSS EXAMINATION BACK SEAT PASSENGER DET SGT JOHN KELLY
TOLD THE COURT: ‘THERE WAS GREAT URGENCY.

THE MAN WE WERE AFTER
HAD SHOT A NUMBER OF POLICEMEN AND HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN CHARGED
WITH SEVEN ARMED ROBBERIES.

‘
A JURY RETURNED A VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH.

ENDS

MMMM

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