Judge requires Metropolitan Police assessment of 999 speeds after officer jailed over dying of girl, 25, in Brixton

A decide has referred to as for the Metropolitan Police to assessment acceptable speeds for responses to 999 calls after an officer was jailed over the dying of a younger girl.

PC Nadeem Patel, 28, was driving at greater than 80mph earlier than his patrol automobile struck 25-year-old Shante Daniel-Folkes on Stockwell Road in Brixton, south London, on 9 June 2021.

Ms Daniel-Folkes was thrown into the air, fell unconscious and died on the scene.

PC Patel pleaded responsible in February to inflicting her dying by harmful driving and was sentenced to a few years in jail and disqualified from driving for 54 months.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC advised PC Patel: “It is clear from the investigation that has been conducted that you drove at grossly excessive speed, over a not insignificant distance, far in excess of that which was safe given the prevailing road conditions, even making allowance for the fact of responding to an emergency call and not being bound by the speed limit.”

The case can solely now be reported after the conclusion of the Old Bailey trial of PC Gary Thomson who was driving simply forward of PC Patel and was not concerned within the collision.

PC Thomson was cleared of harmful driving however convicted of the lesser offence of careless driving on Monday.

He was fined £500 and given 5 penalty factors, in addition to being ordered to pay prices of £500.

Sentencing PC Thomson, Judge Lucraft mentioned: “I note there is no clear guidance provided by the Metropolitan Police on speeds police cars should not exceed in responding to emergency calls when driving in residential areas or roads subject to a speed limit of 30mph.

“In my judgment, additional thought ought to be given to this problem notably because the pace limits in lots of residential areas are being additional decreased to 20mph.”

Ms Daniel-Folkes had been walking across the road at around 11.20pm close to a pedestrian crossing when PC Thomson’s car passed her with its emergency lights and siren activated.

She continued to cross and was struck by PC Patel’s vehicle around three to four seconds later.

He had earlier switched off his front emergency lights so as to not affect PC Thomson’s vision in the lead vehicle but did have his siren activated.

Although exempt from the 30mph limit, PC Patel reached a peak speed of 83.9mph on Stockwell Road just 115 metres before the point the car stopped.

The vehicle was travelling at around 55mph at the time of the crash after PC Patel braked for two seconds from a speed of more than 81mph.

The vehicle being driven by PC Thomson also passed Ms Daniel-Folkes at speeds of between 70-79mph.

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Family ‘numb and empty’ after dying

During PC Patel’s sentencing in February, Ms Daniel-Folkes’s household described her as “kind, funny, loving, and very creative”.

Judge Lucraft mentioned: “She is described as bubbly and carefree – a lover of life and someone who was ambitious.

“She cherished style and design. She was a mentor, an artist, a licensed nail technician trying ahead to opening her personal salon and to a brilliant future for herself and her younger son who she adored. She was a lot cherished by all who knew her.

“The family are devastated by the loss of Shante.

“They categorical a numb and empty feeling at Shante’s loss and communicate in regards to the long-lasting impression on the household and that on Shante’s younger son particularly – a son she is not going to see develop up and make his personal manner in life.”

Rosemary Ainslie, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Our ideas stay with the household and pals of Shante Daniel-Folkes following this avoidable tragedy.

“Both officers, although not bound by the 30mph speed limit while responding to a 999 call, were driving at motorway speeds in a built-up urban area, with a number of potential hazards in the vicinity.

“These included pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles travelling within the different route, in addition to an open comfort retailer immediately on the scene and a close-by pub through which 30 to 40 prospects had been current for a quiz evening.

“There was an obvious risk of injury to a person from vehicles travelling at that speed in the dark, and both officers fell below the expected standard of a competent and careful driver that evening.

“PC Patel admitted inflicting the dying of Ms Daniel-Foulkes by driving dangerously and I hope his sentence, together with at present’s verdict for PC Thomson, presents some consolation to her household at this extraordinarily tough time.”