Police officer found negligentA police officer has been found negligent after the foot and ankle of a motorcyclist he was pursuing was crushed under the wheel of his squad car.
The Thames Valley Police officer was found to be 40% to blame for injuries sustained by Michael Henry, of Buckinghamshire, who was seeking £600,000 from the police force.
Lady Justice Smith, sitting with Lord Justice Pill and Lady Justice Arden, said that Mr Henry was 60% to blame, as he had behaved "culpably and very foolishly" in trying to evade police when he knew they wanted to stop him. His right leg was trapped under the wheel after dismounting from the bike in the grounds of his home in Penn Street, near Amersham.
Mr Henry's claim was dismissed by a judge at Reading County Court in March last year, who found that the officer had not driven negligently, but the Court of Appeal in London overturned the ruling. Mr Henry should recover 40% of any damages.
Lady Justice Smith said: "A moving car is a dangerous thing and the effect of misjudging his placement is potentially very dangerous. His negligence was the direct and immediate cause of the appellant's injury."
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