Police officers fined after emergency alert sparks two-car smash

Wednesday 26 July 2017

Two police officers have been handed fines topping more than £1,000 after a two-car crash outside the former Police Headquarters last year.

The pair – PC Emma Quemard (30) and PC John Gibson (37) – had separately been responding to an emergency ‘Code 1’ alert on 6 July 2016.

The Magistrates Court heard yesterday that PC Quemard attempted to rush to the scene, which involved a “dangerous” previous offender, and drove on the wrong side of the road at 37mph as she attempted to overtake another vehicle. Moreover, she was found to have done so without using the vehicle’s sirens to alert other drivers as to her presence, which, according to the defence, she had thought were activated.

PC Gibson, meanwhile, emerged from the former Rouge Bouillon HQ (pictured) to make a right turn. But he was found to have done so without making “proper checks”.

Pictured: The court heard that PC Quemard had failed to use her sirens on her police vehicle.

The pair’s combined actions led to a collision involving the two vehicles. While there were no serious injuries, the actions that led up to the incident were repeatedly branded “very careless” by Susie Sharpe, prosecuting. 

Speaking in mitigation, both parties’ defence claimed that, while the duo acknowledged fault, they had been responding to an incident involving a man known to the force for “extremely violent” behaviour, which had once seen PC Gibson showered in boiling water from a kettle.

Both apologised, and PC Gibson was said to have “learned his lesson”. PC Quemard’s advocate, meanwhile, spoke of the “unacceptable” delay in the case reaching court, which left it “hanging over her” throughout her wedding and honeymoon.

Pictured: The case was heard in the Magistrates Court yesterday morning.

Moreover, it was argued that the incident should be regarded as “a one-off event, a misjudgement”, and that the disqualification of PC Quemard, who holds an “exemplary” record, would be “against the public interest” as she drives to fulfil her current police role.

But Magistrate Peter Harris disagreed with this analysis, opting to fine PC Quemard £2,000 and disqualifying her from driving for one month. Mr Gibson, meanwhile, faced a financial penalty of £1,000. 

In his closing words, Magistrate Harris suggested that, while it didn’t have any bearing on the outcome of this case, the Force consider the implications of using in-car or body-worn communication radios while driving, as islanders face disqualifications for mobile usage in vehicles “for reasons of safety.”