Speeding policeman 'ran down dad at 75mph'

Pc David Allen (35), was driving through a residential district when he

ploughed into Ian Hambrey (49), who was walking home after a night with pals at the pub, the court heard.

Mr Nicholas Barker, told Leeds Crown Court that divorced Mr Hambrey was

walking to the home he shared with his mother in Denaby Main.

As he crossed a road following his night out in nearby Mexborough, he was

hit by Allen, who was answering an immediate emergency call about a 13-year-old who had collapsed unconscious after drinking cider.

Information from the black box recorder in his vehicle revealed that just

before 1.1 seconds before the crash Allen braked and struck Mr Hambrey

at 60mph.

The court heard Allen was travelling in a Ford Focus patrol car with another

officer with blue lights flashing but no siren when he hit Mr Hambrey just

after 2am on March 3 last year, scattering the pedestrian's phone, shoe and

lighter across the road.

He lost control of the vehicle after hitting Mr Hambrey and smashed into a

lamppost, before getting out of the car and administering emergency first aid

as he waited for an ambulance, the jury were told. Mr Hambrey died on arrival at hospital.

Mr Barker told the court: “The prosecution say the defendant was going too fast in the circumstances.

“He knew this area as a local police officer and he knew it well.

“He knew it to be a residential district and people lived nearby.

“As a police officer he knew at around 2.30 on a Sunday morning there would be people around who were worse for wear in drink.

“He knew that, he was attending just such a call himself.

“At a speed of 75mph, the Crown can say he was an accident waiting to happen and as such his driving fell well below the required standard."

Mr Hambrey, a machinist for Northern Plastics Ltd, had been drinking at the

Imperial Club in Mexborough between 10pm and 1am.

When his friends saw him leave the pub he had said he was going to get some takeaway food before returning home, the court heard.

Mr Barker told the jury that although Allen was responding to an emergency call and could therefore drive fast and go through traffic lights, police officers

were told they still have a duty to maintain a safe standard of driving and Allen did not do this.

After the collision, he told police officers he had seen a figure in darkclothing on the carriageway who appeared to be half running and maintained that although he wasn't aware of his speed, his speed had been appropriate for the job he was attending.

Allen denies causing death by dangerous driving and an alternative charge of death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

The trial continues.