Pc crash girl 'thrown into air'

Pc John Dougal denies causing death by dangerous driving

A motorist has described how a Newcastle schoolgirl was thrown into the air when she was hit by a marked police car.

Hayley Adamson, 16, of Cedar Road, Fenham, was killed as she crossed Denton Road in Scotswood in May 2008.

Pc John Dougal, 41, has denied causing death by dangerous driving.

Kalaman Galambos told Newcastle Crown Court he saw the incident through his rear view mirror, and the patrol car's siren and lights were not operating.

Speaking through an interpreter, the Czech national said that he was driving through the 30mph zone in a Renault Megane he had bought a month earlier.

Schoolgirl Hayley Adamson was killed instantly

The court had earlier heard that the vehicle had activated the automatic number plate recognition system on Mr Dougal's patrol car. The information was later found to be out of date.

Pc Dougal accelerated to catch up with the Megane, and struck Hayley when she stepped into the road.

Mr Galambos described how he looked into his mirror and saw her begin to cross.

"The next thing I saw were lights from another car which was coming up really fast," he said.

"I saw the car hit something, the girl in the white clothes, and I heard the boy and the girl screaming.

"She was flung in the air. I didn't know if it was the girl. I thought it was a jumper or something, I thought it was her jumper.

"After I had a better look I saw the girl."

Mr Galambos also said that the patrol car was not operating its blue lights or siren.

The trail continues.