The Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset,MartynUnderhill, has requested a meeting with the Chief Crown Prosecutor of Dorset, Kate Brown, to discuss the case of Collette Carpenter.
Miss Carpenter’s Peugeot 206 was in collision with biker David Bartholomew on March 20 2012, who died of his injuries. The Special Constable initially denied using her phone at the time of the incident, but later claimed it was on loudspeaker instead.
Collette Carpenter has now resigned from Dorset Police.
The Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute Miss Carpenter after they concluded that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction on grounds that it could not be determined whether she was holding the phone at the time of the crash or not.
MartynUnderhillsaid “I have been speaking to some of the family since this tragic case was heard at inquest”
“The public outrage at the lack of prosecution of the driver has prompted me to arrange a meeting with the Chief Crown Prosecutor Kate Brown.”
“It is not the role of the PCC to challenge individual CPS decisions, but I want CPS to help me understand the reasons why the two CPS reviews have failed to support a prosecution, and if necessary, discuss how the law can be changed to deal with such incidents.”
“As the Rt Hon Chris Chope MP has also expressed concern at the case, I shall be asking him if he wants to attend the same meeting.”
