Police motorcyclist cleared of causing great-grandmother's death during Royal escort through London
Helen Holland, 81, died of her injuries following the collision in 2023 where she was struck at a pedestrian crossing
A police motorcyclist who struck and killed a pernsioner while escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh through London has been acquitted.
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Helen Holland, 81, died two weeks after she was struck by PC Christopher Harrison at a pedestrian crossing on May 10, 2023.
The Met officer was going between 44mph and 58mph as he approached the light on West Cromwell Road in west London, a court heard.
The 67-year-old was among the team of convoy motorbike outriders that was escorting the Duchess as she left the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office in King Charles Street just after 3pm.
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The officer denied causing death by careless driving and had been standing trial at the Old Bailey, where a jury acquitted him on Thursday after deliberating for two hours and 25 minutes.
After the verdict was returned, a person shouted from the public gallery: "You ruined our family with no consequences."
Mr Justice Martin Chamberlain then told PC Harrison he was free to leave.
During the trial, the court heard that the car the Duchess was in and a police back-up vehicle were also part of the convoy.
PC Harrison, who had 21 years of experience in the specialist escort group, said he "couldn’t put it into numbers" how many times he had undertaken the journey and that he was "very familiar" with the route.
Ms Holland was 2.9 metres onto the crossing when his motorbike hit her, the court heard.
She suffered a skull fracture, bruising to her arms, legs and body, plus fractures to her lower legs.A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as complications from a severe head injury.
PC Harrison, who became emotional while giving evidence during the trial, told jurors the collision was a "tragic accident" which occurred in circumstances that he had "no control over."
Under cross-examination, he accepted he forgot to switch 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.
He told jurors: "She was just there in front of me. She just appeared, between the kerb line and the point of collision.
"At no point did I see her on the island, I'm sorry."
Speaking after the verdict, Commander Adam Slonecki, Specialist Operations at the Met, said: "Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Mrs Holland's family, and we are deeply sorry for their loss in these circumstances.
"While nothing we can say or do can make up for this loss, we have worked to safeguard against future tragedies regardless of today's outcome.
"Escort riders now have bullhorns fitted to their motorcycles to ensure public safety. They use these in addition to their whistles to warn people they are approaching.
"While it is crucial police actions are scrutinised, PC Harrison has waited two-and-a-half years for today's outcome, while Mrs Holland's family have had to grieve through a protracted period of uncertainty.
"We have been lobbying for quicker and fairer accountability processes to lessen the impact on all involved. We will now consider any misconduct matters for PC Harrison as soon as possible."
Following her death, Mrs Holland's family described her as a "a great grandmother, gardener, and country walker every week.
They said: "Something like an Angel. She will never be forgotten."