A police motorcyclist who knocked down a pensioner while escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh through London has been found not guilty of causing death by careless driving.
Helen Holland, 81, died two weeks after being hit in a crash on West Cromwell Road, west London, on May 10, 2023.
The Old Bailey was told that PC Christopher Harrison, 68, had driven between 44mph (70km/h) and 58mph, within a 30mph speed limit, when approaching a red light where Mrs Holland was crossing.
PC Harrison told the Old Bailey he “did not see her on the footpath in the driveway”.
The escort team can exceed the speed limit, run red lights and drive on the wrong side of the road, but such driving must be done safely, the court heard.
After the verdict was announced, one person shouted from the public gallery: “You ruined our family without consequences.”
Judge Martin Chamberlain then told PC Harrison he was free to leave.
On the day of the incident, PC Harrison was among a team of convoy motorcycle escorts escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh as she left the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office on King Charles Street shortly after 3pm BST, jurors were told.
The car the duchess was in and a police support vehicle were part of the convoy.
The accused, who had 21 years of experience in the specialized escort group, stated that he “could not calculate with numbers” how many times he had made the trip and that he knew the route “very well.”
Mrs Holland was 2.9 meters from the junction when Constable Harrison’s motorcycle hit her, the court heard.
He suffered a fractured skull, bruising to his arms, legs and body, as well as fractures to his lower legs.
A post-mortem examination determined the cause of death to be complications from a severe head injury.
PC Harrison, who became emotional as he gave evidence during the trial, told the jury the collision was a “tragic accident” which occurred in circumstances over which he had “no control”.
Under cross-examination he accepted that he forgot to turn on his body-worn camera and did not use his whistle as he approached the pedestrian crossing, but insisted he had not been complacent that day.
“She was right in front of me,” he told the jury.
“She just appeared, between the sidewalk and the collision point.
“I never saw her on the island, I’m sorry.”
