Traffic cop jailed for girl's death

12 April 2012

A traffic officer who killed a schoolgirl after reaching speeds of 94mph without blue lights or a siren has been jailed for three years.

Hayley Adamson, 16, died instantly after she was hit by Pc John Dougal's Volvo estate as she crossed a residential road in Newcastle's West End last May.

He denied causing death by dangerous driving, claiming his speed in a 30mph zone was justified as he was following a suspect car, but was convicted by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

Dougal, who has since resigned from the force, was on a night shift when his patrol car's registration number recognition system alerted him to a Renault Megane which had just passed him in the opposite direction.

He turned his patrol car round and sped up to a maximum of 94mph, slowed slightly as he crested a hill, then saw Hayley step into his path. It was estimated the Volvo had slowed to around 70mph when it hit the teenager.

She had been drinking alcohol, which may have affected her decision-making, but the court heard it was notoriously difficult to judge traffic speed, particularly at night.

Dougal told the court during his trial he did not want to alert the Megane driver that he was being pursued by putting on his sirens or blue lights. The vehicle was wrongly indicated to be suspicious and was being lawfully driven by a Czech man.

The court was shown footage from Dougal's in-car video camera, including the moment the teenager was hit by the car and flung out of shot.

Hayley, dressed in a white tracksuit, was walking with a group of friends at around 11.20pm when she stepped out into Denton Road. It was the night before her English GCSE exam. Dougal, a qualified advanced driver, saw the girl and tried to brake and steer away from her, but could not.

Judge David Hodson said the case was "an immense tragedy for everyone involved in it".

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