A mother-of-three died when a police officer ‘blinded by red mist’ crashed into her car during a high-speed pursuit, a jury has heard.
Heather Smedley, 53, was killed when her Peugeot 108 was struck by an unmarked car driven by PC Mark Burrows, 46.
The crash on December 23, 2022, in Oldham, Greater Manchester happened as Ms Smedley was making her way home and sent her hatchback flying into the air.
Paramedics and an air ambulance attended but she died at the scene.
PC Burrows, of Reddish, Stockport has gone on trial at Chester Crown Court.
The Greater Manchester Police officer denies causing death by dangerous driving along with an alternate charge of causing death by careless driving.
The court heard how the officer, part of the force’s Tactical Vehicle Interception Unit (TVIU), had been sent been sent to the area in response to reports of a stolen car.
But his high-powered VW Golf R came into contact with another vehicle, a suspected stolen Audi A3, causing him to give chase.
PC Mark Burrows, 46, pictured outside court, was ‘blinded’ by ‘red mist’ during a high-speed pursuit and crashed mother-of-three’s car, fatally injuring her, a jury was told
Heather Smedley, 53, was turning right in her Peugeot 108 on December 23, 2022, in Oldham, Greater Manchester when an unmarked police car driven by PC Burrows ploughed into it at 64mph, fatally injuring her
Jonathan Sandiford KC, prosecuting, told the jury how PC Burrows had followed the Audi, initially in accordance with prescribed police training.
But his Golf later reached speeds of 80mph.
Mr Sandiford said that in the moments leading up to the crash the officer’s driving had fallen below the standards expected of a ‘competent and careful’ constable.
Video footage, played in court, showed how the officer’s Golf had followed the Audi across a roundabout and down a busy main road.
The footage showed both cars swerving to overtake other vehicles before approaching a line of four cars, which included Ms Smedley’s Peugeot.
The Audi, which reached a speed of 76mph and was travelling on wrong side of the road, passes her car shortly before Mrs Smedley indicates to turn right.
But PC Burrows’ Golf, displaying its blue lights and travelling a short distance behind, also on the wrong side of the road, is unable to brake in time and smashes into the side of the Peugeot, catapulting it into the air.
Mr Sandiford told the jury that the officer had attended a ‘refresher’ course in tactical pursuits just two months before the crash.
‘Roadcraft’ guidance, he said, indicated that warning equipment, including blue lights, ‘does not give protection or right way’ to police officers and they should ‘never assume’ they have been seen or heard by other road users.
And they should ‘never compromise safety to save time’ and ensure road users are ‘aware of their presence’ before attempting to pass them, Mr Sandiford said.
Mr Sandiford told the jury the forensic investigators had found that Ms Smedley had turned on her indicator to signal she was turning right, but PC Burrows was ‘going too fast to make a stop’.
He said the officer had ‘disregarded’ his training regarding the overtaking of vehicles and had not seen evidence she was aware of his presence in the road before overtaking her car.
PC Burrows had braked as ‘hard as he could’ and at the moment of impact his car was travelling at 64mph, Mr Sandiford told the jury, which ‘flipped’ her Peugeot into the air.
Ms Smedley suffered multiple injuries in the crash and died at the scene, he said.
‘The prosecution say that the defendant failed to see or heed what she was doing and he was driving far too fast on a 30mph road and failed to realise that she was making a right hand turn across his path,’ he said.
Mr Sandiford suggested that ‘red mist’ had caused the crash whereby a police officer is ‘so focused’ on catching their target they ‘become blind and lose sight of the potential hazards and risks’.
Sam Green KC, defending, also addressed the jury.
He said the crash was caused by the driver of the Audi who had travelled at ‘suicidal’ speeds.
He described the crash as a ‘tragic accident’ and said PC Burrows had driven according to his prescribed training, while all police pursuits involved a ‘risk’.
The trial continues.
