Fatal royal escort crash footage shown to jury

Helen Holland, 81, was struck at a junction in Earl's Court in May 2023 and died two weeks later

A jury has been shown footage of the moment a police motorcycle outrider drove through a red light at twice the speed limit in west London and hit an 81-year-old woman who later died.

Christopher Harrison, 67, was part of the escort team for the Duchess of Edinburgh when he hit Helen Holland as she crossed the West Cromwell Road in May 2023.

Mr Harrison, who denies causing death by dangerous driving, "should have seen her and should have expected there to be pedestrians," the prosecution told the Old Bailey.

Outriders are allowed to cross red lights and exceed speed limits, but Michelle Heeley KC said at the point of the collision Mr Harrison was driving carelessly.

Mr Harrison was in a team of four motorbike outriders escorting the Duchess and her convoy away from an event at the Foreign Office.

Security considerations mean VIP convoys do not generally stop, and it was the job of the outriders to keep the convoy moving, rather than having to stop and start.

The convoy was crossing traffic lights when they turned from green to red for traffic, and Ms Holland, from Birchanger in Essex, was crossing the road "as she was entitled to do".

She was 3m into the crossing when Mr Harrison's bike hit her, Mr Heeley said.

'Appeared from nowhere'

She added: "He should have seen her and he should have expected there to be pedestrians, and thus modified his driving somehow, but he didn't, and that is why the prosecution say he was driving carelessly at that point."

The journey was recorded by the officers who wore video cameras.

Showing the jury some of the footage the prosecution claimed that while the speed limit on the road was 20mph, Mr Harrison was travelling at speeds between 44 and 54mph.

After the incident, Mr Harrison accepted in interview that he did not see her, and he said "she appeared from nowhere," the court heard.

The case, which is expected to last around a week, continues.