PC in A57 fatal crash 'made series of errors'

PC Dave Fields died in the crash on Christmas Day 2017

A police officer who died along with a woman in a crash on Christmas Day "made a series of errors" that led to the tragedy, the police watchdog has said.

PC Dave Fields, 45, and Lorraine Stephenson died in the crash on the A57 in Sheffield on 25 December 2017.

Mrs Stephenson, 61, was in the front seat of a car driven by her husband.

Miranda Biddle of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said PC Fields "did not adjust his driving for the poor weather conditions".

Ms Biddle, the IOPC's regional director said the conclusion would do little "to ease the suffering of both grieving families."

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The crash was caused by a "combination of factors," an inquest earlier concluded.

Assistant Chief Constable David Hartley of South Yorkshire Police said it would "consider the full findings of the coroner".

Lorraine Stephenson was a passenger in a car being driven by her husband

The IOPC published its findings after an investigation.

PC Fields was a trained driver travelling in a marked BMW car with lights and sirens on. It was dark and raining heavily.

His car went out of control at 103mph and aquaplaned on surface water.

Mr Stephenson tried but was unable to steer out of the way.

A forensic investigation found driving speed and adverse weather caused the police car's tyres to lose traction, making it impossible to control.

Less than a week earlier officers, including PC Fields, had raised concerns about loss of traction by some vehicles and the force had taken steps to address this, the IOPC said.

An inspection of the car PC Fields had been driving found no mechanical faults that caused or contributed to the collision, it added.