Jury criticise police 'complacency'

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Peter Williams, 67, was killed when Pc Sean Schofield's marked Volvo T5 hit his car head-on at 94mph.

The advanced police driver hit speeds of 104mph moments before he ploughed into Mr Williams's VW Touran in Over Kellet, Lancashire, on November 1 2006.

His widow Jean, of Bolton-le-Sands, Lancashire, survived but the retired lecturer died in hospital the next day.

Schofield, 38, was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court of careless driving. He was acquitted of causing death by dangerous driving.

The seven men and five women of the jury sent a note to the judge criticising Lancashire Police for allowing the high-speed training exercise on the country B road, which had a speed limit of 60mph.

Schofield was testing in-car Vascar (Vehicle Average Speed Computer and Recorder) equipment which involved him pursuing a car driven by trainer Pc Andrew Massingham, 41, to register its speed.

Pc Massingham was acquitted of causing death by dangerous driving and did not face the alternative charge of careless driving. Neither of the police officer's addresses were released.

The jury's note, which Judge Brian Lewis said he fully endorsed, read: "The course was flawed by poor management, poor design and poor preparation from the highest level.

"We believe the Lancashire Police force were guilty of institutionalised complacency with regards to training and driving at high speeds on open, public roads. We believe the practice of 'cascade' training for this particular type of activity, far from reinforcing the importance of health and safety, has actually had a detrimental effect."