Woman crossing road with hood up hit by police car

The woman was hit after getting off a tram at the Whitemoor stop

A woman was hit and seriously injured by a police car responding to a 999 call while crossing the road with her hood up, an investigation has found.

The woman had just got off a tram in Nottingham and did not appear to look left, according to CCTV and witnesses.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found the police officer had been driving "in accordance with local and national policies".

Nottinghamshire Police said he has been "personally affected" by the incident.

The 46-year-old woman suffered injuries which required extensive hospital treatment, and was unable to provide an account of what happened as she could not remember anything.

IPCC Commissioner Derrick Campbell said: "The consequences of this incident were tragic and life-changing for the woman involved and her family, and they have my sympathy.

"After conducting a thorough investigation our investigator's opinion was that the decisions and actions of the officer driving the car involved were in line with policy and reasonable in the circumstances."

Officer 'decelerated significantly'

The woman was hit on Wilkinson Street, near the Whitemoor tram stop, on the evening of 11 January.

The police car that hit her was one of three responding to the 999 call, which was a report of a burglary in progress.

The officer had moved the car out on to the opposite side of the carriageway to overtake a stationary bus when it hit the woman.

It had its blue lights and siren on, which was heard by a witness wearing headphones, and the IPCC noted that the officer had "decelerated significantly" when approaching the crossing point.

'Thoughts with woman'

Det Ch Insp Liz Rogers, of Nottinghamshire Police's Professional Standards Directorate, said: "We acknowledge the findings released to the public today.

"Our thoughts remain very much with the woman and her family and we wish her all the best in her recovery.

"We are also supporting the police officer involved who has been personally affected by this incident."