Dorset Police officer pleads guilty to careless driving

PC Harry Chaplin was heading to the scene of an accident when he hit Patrick and Claire Mulqueen's Honda Civic

A police officer who crashed into a family's car, seriously injuring a mum-of-two, has kept his licence after pleading guilty to careless driving.

PC Harry Chaplin, of Dorset Police, was heading to the scene of an accident when he hit Patrick and Claire Mulqueen's Honda Civic on Littlemoor Road, Weymouth, Dorset, on 9 July 2022.

Mrs Mulqueen was knocked unconscious in the crash and suffered a brain bleed.

Mr Mulqueen had bruising and cuts and their two children also had bruising.

Winchester Crown Court was shown dashcam footage of the Mulqueen's car, with its indicator light flashing, turning right and being hit by PC Chaplin's police vehicle, with its blue lights and siren on, knocking it on to its side.

Nicholas Cotter, prosecuting, said PC Chaplin had been driving at between 73mph and 81mph in the 30mph zone - which he said was "excessive" for the residential area, even when responding to an accident.

In a victim statement read to the court, Mrs Mulqueen said her brain injury had left her exhausted, suffering anxiety and "not like herself".

PC Chaplin, 27, of Weymouth, was originally charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving but the prosecution accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of careless driving.

Sentencing Chaplin, Judge Angela Morris said: "The speed you travelled was a serious error of judgment by you."

He was fined £307, ordered to pay a £123 surcharge and £500 compensation to the family and had eight penalty points imposed on his licence.

The judge said she would not disqualify Chaplin from driving because he was driving towards a serious road traffic accident and "not simply exceeding the speed limit".

PC Derek Alexander was also initially charged in connection with the accident but the charges were later dropped by the CPS.