Police Motorbike Collision Claims Life of 81-Year-Old Woman

An 81-year-old woman, Helen Holland, died following a collision with a police motorbike escorting Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in West London. The incident occurred on May 10, 2023, at a pedestrian crossing on West Cromwell Road. Mrs. Holland succumbed to her injuries two weeks after being struck, reportedly being thrown into the air upon impact.

During proceedings at the Old Bailey, it was revealed that Metropolitan Police officer PC Christopher Harrison was travelling at speeds between 44 mph and 58 mph as he approached a red traffic light. The speed limit on the road was set at 30 mph at the time of the incident, which has since been reduced to 20 mph. PC Harrison denies charges of causing death by careless driving.

Details of the Incident

The prosecution claims that PC Harrison acted carelessly by running the red light and colliding with Mrs. Holland, resulting in fatal injuries. Eyewitness Diana Cetara described the moment of the collision, stating, “She was crossing, a motorbike hit her and then she flew away – to be honest, I was a bit of a mess then.”

Prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC asserted that while the officer was permitted to exceed the speed limit and navigate through red lights as part of his duties, he still had a responsibility to drive carefully. “He should have seen her and expected there to be pedestrians,” Heeley explained, emphasizing that PC Harrison failed to modify his driving in light of the circumstances.

The police motorbike was part of a convoy escorting the Duchess as she left the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office shortly after 15:00. The court heard that the first motorcycle in the escort had passed through the pedestrian crossing with a green light, but the signal changed to red shortly thereafter.

Legal Proceedings and Responsibilities

Following the collision, it was reported that the second motorbike in the convoy communicated the change in traffic lights back to the remaining riders. Despite this, PC Harrison proceeded through the red light approximately 18 seconds later, colliding with Mrs. Holland as she crossed the road legally.

Heeley detailed that the role of the outriders was to clear the path for the convoy by identifying potential hazards, including traffic signals and pedestrians. The outriders were equipped with whistles and blue lights to alert the public. She noted that had the light been red for the convoy, the motorcyclists should have positioned themselves to control the crossing safely, ensuring pedestrians remained stationary until the convoy passed.

The prosecution argues that the collision was due to PC Harrison’s failure to observe the red light and exercise caution. “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,” Heeley stated. “He accepted in interview that he did not see her. He said she appeared from nowhere.”

Following the incident, an inspection of PC Harrison’s motorbike revealed no faults that could have contributed to the accident. The trial is ongoing as the court continues to evaluate the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.