Norfolk hit-and-run victim says police response 'not enough'

On March 5 last year I had been to have my hair cut in Oulton Broad. 

This was a perfectly normal Saturday morning. 

But on my way home to Norwich, travelling along the A146 towards Beccles - a stretch of road I have driven countless times - something truly shocking happened. 

The scandal over a hit-and-run crash involving Norfolk police was first reported in the EDP (Image: Newsquest)

After I had come off the roundabout at Carlton Colville, I spotted the police 4x4 behind me.

I did what everyone does when a marked police car is behind them - I checked my speed and made sure I was driving with full concentration.

I do this anyway. I know this route - the Barnby bends - as well as any stretch of road, and I know how notorious it is.

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After a few minutes I noticed in my rear view mirror that the police driver was speeding up and the gap between us was closing.

I presumed that any moment now, the blue light would go on and the car would pass me by and head off on a 999 call.

But, as has been detailed in depth in this newspaper, that didn't happen.

The blue light never went on.

The car continued to speed up.

As I stuck at my speed I could see in my mirror that police car was looming larger and larger as it got closer.

A Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team (RAPT) vehicle crashing into the back of an Audi on the A146 (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

The shaken woman driving the Audi pulls over following the crash (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

I had a moment where I realised that this car was not going to overtake me, it was going to crash into me. And that there was nothing I could do to safely avoid the collision.

I could not cross into the other carriageway. I could not run off the road. I could not speed up - this was a police car about to drive into me.

I clenched my steering wheel in fear.

And then it happened.

My Audi A1 lurched forward but I was able to keep control of the vehicle and keep it on road.

I think this was because I had braced myself for the impact.

But I can't help but think what might have happened.

At almost 50mph it would have been so easy for me to have lost control and be pushed off the road or into oncoming traffic.

The crash involved a Norfolk and Suffolk roads and armed policing team BMW X5 (Image: Newsquest)

I was full of adrenaline but I knew what should happen next.

I carried on driving and pulled in at the next safe opportunity, at the car wash site.

The police car, having run into the back of me, had not overtaken me and was still following behind me as I pulled in.

Of course, I expected it to follow me in, for the officers to get out and check I was okay - perhaps to even offer an apology - before starting the process of exchanging insurance details and so on.

But that didn't happen. The car carried on its journey towards Beccles. 

Even then, I tried to give the police the benefit of the doubt. Surely, they were on their way to an emergency.

Surely, there was someone out there in greater need than me and they were rushing to help them. I now know none of this was true.

The police BMW X5 armed response vehicle continues without stopping (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Instead both officers in the car simply carried on their shift and then went home for a good night's sleep without either of them doing a thing to report the incident, let alone to try to check up on my welfare.

Eventually, after two and half hours on hold on the phone, I gave up and reported the crash online triggering the investigation into what had happened.

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If that investigation had got to the bottom of exactly what had happened - why these officers had crashed into me and driven off - and had seen them go through a full misconduct and legal process, at least I would have some answers.

I would still be angry at their actions. But I would have a sense that justice had been served.

But I don't have that. The driver told police investigators that he has amnesia so cannot remember the incident. He is facing no action. His colleague still faces a misconduct hearing for not reporting the crash immediately, meaning the driver could not be drink and drug tested or medically assessed.

I trusted the investigation would be thorough. I don’t believe it was. I got a letter which basically said: “Sorry but there is nothing we can do.” 

The crash occurred on the A146 at Barnby Bends, between Beccles and Lowestoft (Image: Newsquest)I just cannot accept this is justice. There are too many questions we do not know the answers to.

What is the medical evidence that means the driver will face no charges? How can he continue to work in the police if he suffers from the amnesia incidents? Has he suffered them before? Can we trust his police work?

And what is the role of the Police Federation? What part did this shadowy, quasi union which represented both officers play?

I was brought up to respect the police. I was told to look for an officer if I was in danger. I have always had faith in our police force.

That faith is shaken now. I am no longer comforted by seeing a police officer but worried at what they might do.   

There have been other high-profile cases of rogue officers which have undermined public confidence in the police across the country.

My experience is obviously not as serious as some of those cases, but, at least for me, it has had the same effect.

Norfolk chief constable Paul Sanford and police and crime commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie (Image: Jason Bye)

The job of rebuilding that faith must lie with those at the top. In Norfolk, that is chief constable Paul Sanford and the police and crime commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie.

I have been following their responses to this case - what they have been telling the EDP - and I cannot say they have yet restored my confidence. They seem to be saying they are sorry for what happened to me, but powerless to do much about it.

I don't think that is good enough.

They need to look afresh at this case and be more transparent about WHY they say they cannot do any more.

I have appealed both the CPS decision to drop the criminal case and the police’s investigation.

I urge the chief constable to take charge of this situation and refer his force fully to the IOPC. Only that will start to rebuild this region’s trust in his force. Right now is at rock bottom.  

Policing is by consent – without trust it will collapse. What are Mr Sanford and Mr Orpen-Smellie going to do to sort this mess out?