Crash victim 'was texting'

Sergeant Askew was driving to an emergency

A man who died in a crash with a police car was sending text messages just before the accident, a Norwich court has been told.

Welder David McDermott, 31, died after the accident near Potter Heigham in Norfolk on 13 November 2000.

Sergeant Stephen Askew, 42, of Norfolk police is charged with causing Mr McDermott's death by dangerous driving.

Norwich Crown Court was told that 10 minutes before the crash Mr McDermott had made two mobile phone calls, received two text messages and sent two text messages.

The police officer had his blue lights and siren on when he collided with the Ford Mondeo driven by Mr McDermott, who was from Catfield, Norfolk.

Mr McDermott, 31, died from his injuries the day after the crash.

Text messages

Sergeant Askew denies the charge of dangerous driving.

The court heard that the police officer was responding to an emergency involving a trapped child when the accident happened.

He was overtaking traffic on the A149 when a car suddenly indicated right and pulled out in front of him.

Telephone company records show that Mr McDermott sent his last message about the time of the crash.

The lawyer for Sergeant Askew argued that Mr McDermott may have been distracted by his phone when he pulled out in front of the police officer's car.

Sergeant Askew, of Martham, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, was trained as a class one driver by the police.

He was travelling at between 75 and 80mph at the time of the crash.

The case continues.