81-year-old crosses on green light and is fatally hit by police escort rider but what the jury decided has her family furious

Helen Holland was walking across a pedestrian crossing when a police motorcycle hit and killed her in May 2023. The 81-year-old great-grandmother was struck by PC Christopher Harrison, who was riding in a police convoy escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh through Earl’s Court in west London. Holland passed away in the hospital two weeks later.

According to Daily Mail, body camera footage that was just released shows PC Harrison speeding past other officers and heading towards a red traffic light right as Holland walked onto the road. Harrison was going between 44 and 58 mph even though the speed limit was 30 mph. The light was red for cars and motorcycles, but Holland had a green signal telling her it was safe to cross.

A jury at the Old Bailey found PC Harrison not guilty of causing death by careless driving last week. It only took the jury about two hours to make their decision. People in the courtroom got upset right away. Someone yelled out that Harrison had destroyed their family and faced no punishment for it. Holland’s relatives walked out crying because they felt like no one was being held responsible.

The verdict doesn’t sit right with anyone who knows the full story

Now Holland’s family is suing the Metropolitan Police. Her brother Chris Holmes talked to reporters and said he thinks what happened is completely unfair. “If the policeman is not guilty of careless driving, then she’s guilty of careless walking. I feel there’s a terrible injustice,” he pointed out. 

Holland’s granddaughter Kelly Williams said the result shows there are different rules for different people. She thinks police officers can do whatever they want without getting in trouble. 

“More people will die at the hands of the police because they can just go through a red light, kill a pedestrian when it’s their right of way,” Kelly added.

The family is calling for older officers to be barred from high-speed escort duties after 66-year-old Harrison fatally struck Helen Holland, who had walked a few metres onto the road. Witnesses said the convoy ignored a red light, which Harrison went through 18 seconds after it changed.

Although police escorts can legally run red lights and exceed speed limits, lawyers argued caution is still required. Harrison, a 20-year veteran, said in court that Holland appeared suddenly and he couldn’t stop, with police confirming his motorcycle was functioning normally.

People who saw the crash said it was horrible. One witness said Holland flew through the air and came down hard like a ragdoll. The whole thing sounds as wild as chaotic motorcycle incidents that show just how dangerous bikes can be at high speeds. 

The Metropolitan Police put out a statement saying they feel terrible about what happened to the family. A police commander named Adam Slonecki said they’ve made some changes, like putting louder horns on the motorcycles. 

A police oversight group has revealed Harrison may still face a hearing to determine whether he acted professionally. But the family doesn’t think that’s good enough. Martin told reporters they’re not suing to get money. They just want to prove that his mother didn’t do anything wrong. Just like other messy car accident cases, this whole situation shows how hard it can be to figure out who’s at fault and get real justice.