Hit-and-run police officer knew he had amnesia before Suffolk crash
A firearms officer at the centre of a hit-and-run scandal knew he had amnesia before being involved in the crash, it’s been revealed. PC Karl Warren was on duty in a marked BMW X5 when he drove into the back of an Audi A1 at 49mph on the A146 near Lowestoft, damaging the other car.
The driver of the Audi pulled in at the next safe opportunity and expected the police vehicle to do the same, but PC Warren drove on without stopping. Another officer, PC Ryan Hargrave, was also in the car at the time, but failed to report the crash, which happened on March 5 last year, until the following day.
This meant his colleague could not be breathalysed. The 34-year-old victim reported the incident to Norfolk Constabulary and following an internal investigation, PC Warren initially faced criminal charges of failing to stop or report an accident and driving without due care and attention.
However, the charges – and police misconduct procedures – were later dropped. An internal police report found that the decision came after medical experts said PC Warren had suffered an episode of a condition called ‘transient global amnesia’ (TGA).
The condition has subsequently wiped his memory of the crash. But this week The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) ruled that the force was wrong not to pursue misconduct procedures against PC Karl Warren over the incident.
It’s also been revealed in another damming report by the IOPC that PC Warren had already been diagnosed with memory loss. The bombshell revelation deepens the scandal engulfing Norfolk Constabulary.
The incident happened on the A146 near Lowestoft on March 5, 2022 (Image: Norfolk Constabulary / SWNS)
It raises further questions over why PC Warren was permitted to continue as an advanced driver, responsible for dealing with armed incidents, high-speed pursuits and other potentially life-threatening emergencies, with the force still refusing to say if it was aware of his earlier diagnosis.
Clive Lewis, MP for Norwich South, said: “This is just the type of case that shakes public confidence in policing when the police are seen to have to be dragged kicking and screaming to do what they should have done on the first place.
“I hope there will now be no more resistance to the proper procedures taking place and being seen to do so.” He added: “I know that local police officers are under a lot of pressure at the moment and I would expect police to treat all incidents by taking care of their workforce as well as doing right by the public.”
References
- ^ Drivers using A12 at Martlesham facing a month of overnight closures (www.suffolklive.com)