Met Police: Fatal crash PC just wanted to help people - court

Rozanne Cooper (l) and Makayah McDermott both died in the crash in August 2016

A Met Police officer accused of causing the deaths of a 10-year-old boy and his aunt during a car chase has told a court he "just wanted to help people".

PC Edward Welch was pursuing a stolen car in Penge, south-east London, on 31 August 2016 when it mounted the pavement and hit child actor Makayah McDermott and Rozanne Cooper.

The officer, from Chatham, Kent, told the Old Bailey he had joined the force at the age of 20 because he wanted to "stop bad coming into the world".

The 34-year-old denies two charges of causing death by dangerous driving, one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and an alternative charge of dangerous driving.

The court heard that PC Welch, who has been based in the borough of Bromley throughout his policing career, had been involved in five pursuits of up to an hour in length before the fatal crash.

Explaining why he had joined the Met, he told the jury: "I have always wanted to be a police officer. It was my dream as a child. It's all I've ever wanted to do.

"I just wanted to help people. That is what police do - stop bad coming into the world, helping people."

Joshua Dobby's car mounted the pavement and crushed Makayah, Ms Cooper and another 10-year-old child who survived

The court heard how during the six-minute chase through residential and one-way streets, PC Welch's police BMW car reached speeds of more than 60mph (97km/h).

Describing what happened on the day of the pursuit, PC Welch said he was notified that a lost or stolen Ford Focus had activated an ANPR camera on Penge High Street, and then spotted the car when he and his colleague had been responding to a traffic collision.

He told jurors: "I activated my blue lights and sirens to safely facilitate myself through the traffic towards the subject vehicle," which he said was "driving at excess speed on Mackenzie Road".

'Visibility was good'

The court heard PC Welch would speak out loud to focus his mind and he described his concentration at the time as being "through the roof".

He also said he assessed the risk of the pursuit at one point as "low", because "visibility was good" and the road he was on was straight.

The prosecution has claimed that by "any sensible analysis, the risk posed by the pursuit, taking account of the driving of both vehicles, was at a higher level of risk".

The Old Bailey has previously heard the car being chased was driven by a 19-year-old, Joshua Dobby, who lost control of the vehicle on Lennard Road and crashed into Makayah, 34-year-old Ms Cooper and another 10-year-old, who was left with serious injuries.

Dobby was later convicted of two counts of manslaughter by gross negligence and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.

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