IN THE COURTS IN THE COURTS POLICE FORCE FINED AFTER STUDENT OFFICER HIT BY CAR ON CHRISTMAS EVE


A police force has been fined after one of its officers was hit by a passing car while responding to a traffic collision on Christmas Eve.


The 22-year-old was a student officer working for West Mercia Police when the incident happened on 24 December 2023. The officer had been responding to the traffic collision in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. That collision occurred on a single carriageway road that had no street lighting and where the national speed limit for the road was 60 mph.


The officer had been stood on a bend, managing traffic at the scene when he was hit by a passing car. He sustained life-threatening and life-changing injuries.


An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that West Mercia Police failed to do all that was reasonably practicable to manage the risks arising from or in connection with traffic collisions. The force’s risk assessments were not suitable and sufficient and it failed to provide adequate equipment for safely responding to traffic collisions.


There was also a lack of suitable information, instruction and training for its officers. As a result, employees and members of the public were exposed to unnecessary risks.


In June 2021, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) sent all police forces across the UK a series of recommendation reports which provided relevant advice explaining how to implement road safety recommendations following an officer and staff safety review report.


The Office of Chief Constable West Mercia Police, Headquarters, Hindlip Hall, Hindlip, Worcester, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The force was fined £85,800 and ordered to pay £9,402 in costs at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 20 February 2026.


HSE Inspector Keeley Eves said: “We recognise that police officers inevitably face significant and serious dangers as part of their normal work. The nature of policing is such that even where all reasonably practicable steps have been taken to minimise the risks, there may still be a significant risk to those engaged in such work.


“However, police officers should not be exposed to unnecessary risks while keeping the public safe.


“In this case, West Mercia Police failed to implement all reasonably practicable measures to minimise risks to its employees and members of the public in connection with road traffic collisions.


“Tragically, this resulted in a student police officer sustaining life changing injuries.


“After the incident, the force implemented significant changes, which included revisions to risk assessments, policies, procedures, equipment and training.


“These measures should have been in place prior to the incident.”


This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Edward Parton and paralegal officer Lynne Thomas.


RACKING COLLAPSE SEES TWO WORKERS KILLED


Two companies have been fined following an incident which resulted in the deaths of two workers in West Yorkshire.


Lee Horton, 58, and Daron Pickstock, 43, were killed when an industrial racking system collapsed as it was being tested at Castefields Industrial Estate in Bingley on 29 October 2020.


The racking was being tested at a site belonging to Space Productiv Ltd, of which Mr Horton, from Ilkley, was the managing director. Mr Pickstock, who was from Chorley, was self-employed and working for a company called Collins Site Services.


The racking system was being loaded with test weights, some of which weighed up to two tonnes, when the structure began to collapse. The 2 men had been working from a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) next to the racking structure as it was being loaded.


However, as the structure collapsed, it struck the MEWP, causing it to overturn while both men were inside. Mr


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Horton and Mr Pickstock sustained fatal injuries and died shortly afterwards.


An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that both companies failed to adequately assess the risks arising from the work being undertaken and failed to put in place a safe system of work to ensure the health and safety of those involved.


HSE found that the planned and implemented systems of work were unsafe. Workers were positioned within the collapse zone of the racking during testing, placing them at serious risk should the structure fail.


Space Productiv Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £97,500 and ordered to pay £17,377 in costs at Leeds Crown Court on 11 February 2026.


Collins Site Services Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £10,292 in costs at Leeds Crown Court on 11 February 2026.


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