Jury 'likely' to hear inquest into Nottinghamshire police officer

Graham Saville, a 46-year-old father of two, died five days after he was injured

An inquest into a Nottinghamshire police officer who died after being hit by a train is "likely" to be heard in front of a jury.

Sgt Graham Saville was attempting to save a distressed man on the tracks near Newark Northgate station on 24 August when he was struck.

The 46-year-old father of two died five days later at Queen's Medical Centre.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Sgt Saville was based at Newark Police Station and had been promoted to the role of response sergeant

A pre-inquest review was held at the Council House in Nottingham on Thursday.

Coroner Laurinda Bower told the hearing it was "likely" Sgt Saville's inquest would be heard in front of a jury later this year.

Sgt Saville's wife, Joanne Saville, was in attendance at the pre-inquest review.

Her representative, Nicholas Walker, told the review Mrs Saville is "desperate for information" over her husband's death.

Ms Bower said she wished to establish whether there was a need to suspend the inquest from its planned start date of 8 July, to ensure no parallel investigations by other statutory bodies would be prejudiced by coronial investigations.

However, she said "delay is the enemy of justice", adding she did not want to be hearing evidence from witnesses when two or three years had elapsed from the incident.

Both the British Transport Police and Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed their investigations were complete, but a representative of the HSE said it would be gathering witness statements from the end of March and into April.

More than 50 of Sgt Saville's colleagues formed a Guard of Honour at his funeral in October

The HSE said it could not provide a specific timeline for its investigation, but Ms Bower requested a more meaningful timeframe within seven days.

She added: "We may well not have the final report from the HSE come July, but I will have the source material."

The HSE said it would not be making a submission to adjourn the inquest, with Ms Bower confirming she would circulate a decision on the next steps within seven days.

More than 50 of Sgt Saville's policing colleagues formed a guard of honour at Southwell Minster during his funeral on 23 October.

Mrs Saville previously described her husband as a "wonderful" man.