Fatal crash Pc 'felt responsible'

Both officers deny causing death by dangerous driving

A police driving trainer who was on an exercise in which a colleague crashed into a pensioner's car, killing him, has told a court he felt responsible.

Peter Williams, 67, of Bolton-le-Sands, was driving his VW Touran on a country lane in north Lancashire when a marked police car collided with him head-on.

The Volvo was being driven by Pc Sean Schofield, who was following Pc Andrew Massingham in a separate vehicle.

Both deny causing death by dangerous driving at Liverpool Crown Court.

Pc Schofield, 38, an advanced driver with Lancashire Police was following Pc Massingham, 41, along the B6254 - which has a 60mph (97km/h) limit - near Over Kellett, Lancashire, on 2 November 2006.

The court has heard that he hit a speed of 104mph (167km/h) moments before the smash and was probably travelling at about 90mph (145km/h) at the moment of impact.

I thought the instructions I gave were clear to everybody as for how they drove Pc Andrew Massingham

Mr Williams, a retired lecturer, died of his injuries the next day. His wife, Jean, survived.

On Tuesday Pc Massingham told the jury: "I was in charge of the course. I found out the following day that Mr Williams had died and it is a difficult burden to carry.

"As far as the effect it's had on my family and my life, I am sorry."

He said the impact the incident had had on the Williams family "must be 20-fold" compared to his own anguish.

Asked by his barrister Jonathan Fuller QC if he had a message for the victim's family, he said: "I just wish I hadn't chosen that road on that day. I feel responsible for it."

"It happened on my course and I thought everything I had done meant this wouldn't have happened. I thought the instructions I gave were clear to everybody as for how they drove."

Jean Williams said her husband could not avoid the crash

Pc Massingham was testing in-car VASCAR (Vehicle Average Speed Computer and Recorder) equipment that involved Pc Schofield following to register Pc Massingham's speed.

Pc Schofield claims it was Pc Massingham who set the speeds for the exercise.

But in Pc Massingham's police interview after the crash he said he was "staggered" by his colleague's speed.

He said: "I wouldn't have driven at that speed on that road. I would have asked him on the radio to slow down straight away had I realised the vehicle was travelling that fast."

"I would expect him to be doing a speed similar to mine or slightly slower."

Pc Massingham said he had no concerns about Pc Schofield's driving, and told the court pupils were told to keep the cars a safe distance apart.

If they felt the trainer was going too fast they could have asked on the radio to slow down, he added.

The trial continues.