Police Officer Negligently Drove Police Car Too Close

Message

T.C. · #1 Post by **T.C.** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 2:50 pm

Police Officer Negligently Drove Police Car Too Close To Motorcycle To Allow Motorcyclist To Safely Dismount

Michael H v. Thames Valley Police, CA, 14/1/10

The Court of Appeal held that whilst it was reasonable for a police officer to use a police vehicle as a means of hindering a suspect's escape, such vehicle should not be used in a manner or to an extent which would create a risk as to the suspect's safety. The instant case was not one which could justify taking a risk of injuring the suspect. In circumstances where it was reasonably foreseeable that the suspect motorcyclist would dismount his motorcycle, the Court of Appeal held that the police officer had not driven his vehicle with reasonable care and skill in driving it so close to the motorcycle that some part of it came into contact with the suspect when he dismounted. In seeking to evade the police once he knew they wished him to stop and in failing to surrender, the suspect was held to be 60% contributorily negligent.

Samray · #2 Post by **Samray** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:54 pm

What was he suspected of? A traffic offence?

HowardQ · #3 Post by **HowardQ** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:19 pm

Probably a very serious crime like a small number plate or race can. Could even be something much worse like a dark visor!

D-Rider · #4 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:27 pm

Read the title:

Police Officer Negligently Drove Police Car Too Close To Mot

.... and wondered whether there was now a rule that police cars could not be driven in the period immediately preceding their annual test of road-worthiness.

Then I read the report .... so ..... presumably this ruling will see an end to those Police camera action programmes where a lot of the time the police seem to be causing more danger than the people they are chasing ..... there again a lot of those involve American cops ... so as the ruling won't affect them I guess we'll be in for even more imported TV.

T.C. · #5 Post by **T.C.** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:09 pm

D-Rider wrote:Read the title:
Police Officer Negligently Drove Police Car Too Close To Mot
.... and wondered whether there was now a rule that police cars could not be driven in the period immediately preceding their annual test of road-worthiness.

Then I read the report .... so ..... presumably this ruling will see an end to those Police camera action programmes where a lot of the time the police seem to be causing more danger than the people they are chasing ..... there again a lot of those involve American cops ... so as the ruling won't affect them I guess we'll be in for even more imported TV.

Sorry, the title was shown in the header but then vanished when I submitted the post

D-Rider · #6 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:49 pm

LOL - no worries - I just thought it amusing