Seriously injured officers call for sentencing change

9 January 2020

TWO Thames Valley Police Officers who suffered appalling injuries after a drunk driver hit them with his vehicle are calling for a change in sentencing.

Acting Sgt Tom Dorman, who had his leg amputated after a horrific car collision in 2018, was asked how he felt when the man responsible was jailed for five years.

Tom said: “I’m pleased that [Hayden] Brown has now been convicted for his dangerous behaviour – despite the fact that when faced with overwhelming evidence he still refused to admit his guilt or apologise.

“But this sentence will have a short impact on his life, compared to the long lasting impact on me, my family and colleagues.

“I urge the Government to review the maximum sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving and consider introducing an offence of causing serious injury by careless driving.

“Once Parliament is sitting again I will be petitioning them to make these changes.”

Tom’s colleague, PC Norman Lamb, sustained several puncture wounds and severe bruising to his legs, fractured ribs and a dislocated shoulder in the incident. He is now undergoing treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Like Tom, Norman feels the sentence is far too lenient, despite being the maximum allowed.

Norman said: “I urge the Government to review the maximum sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving and consider introducing an offence of causing serious injury by careless driving.

“We were simply doing our job. We would have been the first to assist Mr Brown and his friends, rather than being left behind like discarded rag dolls to die.”

Hayden Brown, 25, from Maidenhead, was sentenced to five years at Reading Crown Court after being found guilty of three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol and one count of driving without insurance. He was also disqualified from driving for seven-and-a-half years.

The incident occurred in the early hours of 2 September 2018. Tom, then PC Dorman, and Norman carried out a routine stop check on a taxi in Maidenhead.

Both officers were out of the vehicle when a Ford Focus, driven by Brown, approached, travelling at excessive speed and out of control.

Brown’s car collided with both officers, pushing them against the taxi. The Ford Focus then collided with the taxi and police car.

Chief Inspector James Upton, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: “Time and again we see the devastating effects of drinking or taking drugs. In this case Brown was driving at excessive speed under the influence of alcohol.”

He added that it was extremely lucky no-one died, saying: “The injuries received, physically and psychologically, will have a lasting impact.”