Overview
- A jury found PC Christopher Harrison not guilty of causing death by careless driving after two hours and 25 minutes of deliberation.
- Helen Holland, 81, was struck at a pedestrian crossing on West Cromwell Road on May 10, 2023, and died two weeks later.
- Prosecutors said Harrison approached the red-light crossing at 44–58 mph and argued that, despite legal exemptions for escorts, he still had a duty to drive carefully.
- Harrison told the court he did not see Ms Holland, accepted he had not activated his body-worn camera or used his whistle, and described the collision as a tragic accident.
- A post-mortem cited complications from a severe head injury as the cause of death, and the road’s speed limit was later reduced from 30 mph to 20 mph.