Metropolitan Police officer PC Christopher Harrison is on trial, accused of causing the death of Helen Holland, 81, by dangerous driving after she was fatally struck at a pedestrian crossing
A police officer riding on a motorcycle while escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh through London was over the speed limit when he hit and killed a pensioner, a court has heard.
PC Christopher Harrison also ran a red light at a pedestrian crossing in West Cromwell Road, west London, on May 10, 2023, when he fatally struck 81-year-old Helen Holland. Ms Holland died two weeks after the incident, which saw her knocked into the air.
The Metropolitan Police officer pleaded not guilty to causing death by careless driving. The Old Bailey heard how he was travelling at between 44mph and 58mph as he approached the light.
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The speed limit on the road was 30mph at the time of the collision and has since been changed to 20mph. Prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC said Harrison was careless when he drove through a red light and hit Mrs Holland, who suffered serious injuries.
Passer-by Diana Cetara, who saw the collision as she took her dogs to the park, told the court: “She was crossing, a motorbike hit her and then she flew away – to be honest, I was a bit of a mess then.”
Ms Heeley said Harrison was allowed to exceed the speed limit, but he still had a duty to drive carefully, before adding: “As a police escort motorbike, the defendant was allowed to do things other drivers can’t do, for example, he could exceed the speed limit, and go through red lights, but he still had a duty to other road users, including pedestrians, to make sure that his driving was careful.”
The court heard how Harrison was part of a team of convoy motorcyclists who were escorting Sophie as she left the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office in King Charles Street just after 3pm. The car that the duchess was in and a police backup vehicle were also part of the convoy.
There was a pedestrian crossing, which was on green for the traffic as the first motorbike went through. The information that there was a crossing was passed on to all of the motorcyclists so they knew to look out for it, the court heard.
Ms Heeley continued: “The crossing then changed to red for the traffic. The second bike in the convoy went through and passed back the information that the lights had changed to red.
“Eighteen seconds later, Mr Harrison drove through the red light, he collided with Mrs Holland, who had been crossing at the pedestrian crossing.”
She was 2.9 metres into the crossing when Harrison’s motorbike hit her, the court heard, before Ms Heeley said that Mrs Holland was “entitled to be crossing” when she was struck. The prosecutor said Harrison knew the traffic light was red and should’ve taken care when driving through it.
“He should have seen her, he should have expected there to be pedestrians and thus modified his driving somehow, but he didn’t, and that is why the prosecution say he was driving carelessly at that point,” Ms Keeley told the court.
The job of the outriders was to pave the way for the convoy to travel onwards safely by spotting and controlling any potential hazards, which could include junctions or traffic lights. The three outriders work in a leapfrog movement, one overtaking the other, passing information back to ensure those in the convoy know what is coming up and what hazards they are about to face, the jury was told.
Ms Heeley told the jury: “This collision occurred because Mrs Holland was crossing at a pedestrian crossing as she was entitled to do and Mr Harrison did not see her. He accepted in interview that he did not see her. He said she appeared from nowhere.
“She didn’t appear from nowhere. She must have been at the side of the road before she crossed, and then she was three metres into the carriageway when she was hit.
“Mr Harrison was entitled to drive exceeding the speed limit and to go through red lights but he still had a duty to drive carefully, sadly on this occasion his driving was not up to the expected standard.”
Harrison’s motorbike was examined afterwards and there was nothing wrong with it that would have caused the collision.
The trial continues.
