Police officer involved in royal escort crash found not guilty

Police motorcyclist Christopher Harrison who hit an 81-year-old pensioner while escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh in London, has been found not guilty at the Old Bailey of causing death by careless driving.

Mr Harrison was in a team of four motorbike outriders escorting the Duchess and her convoy away from an event at the Foreign Office when his motorbike hit Helen Holland, who died from her injuries.

The incident happened as Ms Holland crossed the West Cromwell Road on May 10, 2023. Mr Harrison, whose job as an outrider was to keep the royal convoy moving, has always denied causing death by dangerous driving.

Mr Harrison was travelling at between 44mph and 58mph as he approached the crossing, which had a 30mph speed limit at the time, the trial at the Old Bailey previously heard.

A jury acquitted Pc Harrison 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.

The court heard earlier this week how in an interview after the crash, Mr Harrison said "she (Ms Holland) appeared from nowhere”.

It was heard that Ms Holland was 3m into the crossing when Mr Harrison's bike hit her.

The defendant, who has had 21 years of experience in the specialist escort group, said in court that he “couldn’t put it into numbers” how many times he had undertaken the journey and that he was “very familiar” with the route.

PA reports that Mr Harrison told jurors earlier this week: "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.”

Ms Holland died two weeks after the crash, with the post-mortem showing she died as a result of complications from a severe head injury.