Policeman cleared of death by dangerous driving

Off-duty copper escapes custodial sentence after court clears him of killing Mum-of-three

THE OFF-DUTY police officer whose motorcycle was involved in the death of a woman pedestrian has been cleared by a jury of causing death by dangerous driving.

PC Damien Myerscough, 42, was found guilty instead of driving without due care and attention.

Myerscough was fined £2,000, disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £1,000 costs at Bolton Crown Court.

Lyndsay Oldham died instantly in the crash in Ainsworth, Bury, last year. On hearing the court's decision, her family said that justice was not done.

Myerscough was off-duty when his motorcycle hit a car that had turned across his path, Bolton Crown Court was told.

He hit the kerb and broke his leg, but his Yamaha R1 hit Oldham who was walking down the road with two of her children.

Andrew Nuttal, prosecuting, had previously claimed that Myerscough had taken a gamble when he overtook three cars.

Myerscough, an officer with Greater Manchester Police for 16 years, told the court that his speed on the 30mph limit had been around 33mph.

Judge Elliot Knopf said: "Nothing I could say, no sentence I could pass, could be seen by Mrs Oldham's family as an adequate response to their tragic loss.

He added: "A message must go out to road users that they have an obligation and duty to accept the responsibilities for their driving, to accept that they have duties, and to recognise a duty of care to other road users."

Myerscough made no comment as he left court.

In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said the officer had been on sick leave since the crash and not suspended from duty.

"He will now be subject to internal disciplinary proceedings," a spokesperson told the BBC.



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Policeman cleared of death by dangerous driving - Visordown Motorcycle news : General news