Police motorcyclist who struck woman while escorting Duchess of Edinburgh cleared of causing death by careless driving
A Metropolitan Police motorcyclist has been found not guilty of causing death by careless driving after hitting a pensioner while escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh.
Christopher Harrison, 68, struck Helen Holland while travelling through Earl’s Court, west London, on 10 May.
The 81-year-old suffered serious injuries in the collision and died in hospital two weeks later.
On Thursday, he was found not guilty at the Old Bailey of causing death by careless driving.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. Reuters
Pc Harrison was travelling at between 44mph and 58mph as he approached the crossing, which had a 30mph speed limit, the trial at the Old Bailey previously heard.
A jury acquitted Pc Harrison on Thursday after deliberating for two hours and 25 minutes.
After the verdict was returned, someone shouted from the public gallery: “You ruined our family with no consequences.”
Mr Justice Martin Chamberlain then said Pc Harrison was free to leave.
The defendant, who had 21 years of experience in the specialist escort group, said he “couldn’t put it into numbers” how many times he had undertaken the trip and that he was “very familiar” with the route.
Ms Holland was 2.9 metres onto the crossing when Pc Harrison’s motorbike struck her, the court heard.
She suffered a skull fracture, bruising to her arms, legs and body, as well as sustaining fractures to her lower legs.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as complications from a severe head injury.
Pc Harrison, who became emotional while giving evidence during the trial, told jurors the crash was a “tragic accident” which happened in circumstances that he had “no control over”.
Under cross-examination, he accepted he forgot to switch on his body-worn camera and did not use his whistle as he approached the pedestrian crossing, but insisted he had not been complacent on the day.
“She was just there in front of me,” he told jurors.
“She just appeared, between the kerb line and the point of collision.
“At no point did I see her on the island, I’m sorry.”
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the latest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
