Rider whose horse died in horrific accident backs headcams footage scheme for Suffolk

Published 04/10/2023 · Updated 04/10/2023

Karen Harvey, her beloved horse Patch, and Tim Passmore i(Image: Harvey family/Sarah Lucy Brown)/i

Karen Harvey, her beloved horse Patch, and Tim Passmore (Image: Harvey family/Sarah Lucy Brown)

A Suffolk rider whose horse died after it was hit by a fast-moving car has backed a scheme encouraging the public to submit footage of bad driving to police.

Karen Harvey’s beloved horse Patch had to be put down following an horrific accident just five minutes from her home in Earl Soham, near Framlingham, on October 22 last year.

The driver was successfully prosecuted, but Karen, aged 63, was so traumatised by the event that she no longer feels safe riding the roads – and especially Church Lane, a designated “Quiet Lane” where the accident happened.

As a direct result of the accident, Karen and her husband Guy are now planning to move out of their family home of 25 years and are looking for a property in Suffolk where she would be able to ride off-road.

She described Operation Snap – where police comb through footage sent in to them – as a “great scheme”.

“Oh my God, anything has got to be good,” she said.

“Anything that makes drivers accountable has to be a good idea – as long as the police follow up with further actions,” she added.

East Anglian Daily Times:

“I think anything that makes people think about how they drive has got to be good. The only thing is if they (police) don’t then do anything about it.”

Karen managed to stay in the saddle after Patch – her “horse of a lifetime” – was struck in the hind leg by a speeding BMW ^[1]. Karen was badly shaken but uninjured. But Patch was critically hurt and went into shock as his badly broken leg dangled from his body.

Driver Edgaras Tilmantas drove off from the scene of the accident but was later charged and prosecuted ^[2]. Police were called but did not attend the scene. Suffolk Constabulary acknowledged afterwards that its response to the initial call was “inadequate”^[3].

The 34-year-old driver of Bracken Avenue in Kesgrave, admitted driving without due care and attention, as well as failing to stop after an accident. He was fined, banned from driving for nine months and issued with a one year community order.

Story continues

A short while after the court case, Alan Hiscox, director of safety at the British Horse Society, hosted a packed road safety event for horse riders in Framlingham which Karen attended and which was dedicated to Patch.

But even a year later, she bears the mental scars of her “horrible” ordeal.

East Anglian Daily Times:

“It’s nearly a year on. I have just started riding with a lovely girl friend but I don’t go on the roads. I don’t think I’ll ever go on the roads again,” she said. “It’s just terrible really. We are going to move.”

She looked at having a livery in Earl Soham but she would have to go on the road where the accident happened and couldn’t face the idea.

“You look at everything so differently,” she said. “It’s life-changing without a doubt.”

She wants to ride again – but not from Earl Soham, she said. The site of the accident is 50 yards from the bottom of the field where Patch was kept.

“They are the ripples of something like that. Maybe if I was younger I would have just bounced back.”

Sadly, hers isn’t the only case. Last year, three horses were killed and 50 injured on Suffolk roads, according to the British Horse Society (BHS).

Suffolk police operates a dashboard camera report scheme but it is less high-profile than scheme run by Devon and Cornwall Police as part of Operation Snap.

The Devon scheme actively encourages members of the public to submit video from headcams, dashcams and even doorbell cameras showing instances of dangerous or unlawful driving. Cyclists, riders, motorcyclists and drivers have all participated.

In August, Devon and Cornwall Police received 747 submissions from the public through the road safety initiative and as a result, issued 246 notices of intended prosecution and 172 police warnings.

Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said this county’s version of the scheme had a soft launch some while ago but he would be looking at how they could raise its profile by putting it on the agenda of the next Suffolk Roadsafe Board meeting later this year.

He described it as “a great idea”. “I definitely support things like that,” he said.

“You can submit any video evidence and we have dedicated staff that actually look at it. It’s certainly used. It’s an example of communities helping themsleves and policing with a small ‘p’.”

Many of the county’s roads were “small, narrow, rural roads that were probably originally farm tracks”, he added.

Alan Hiscox is BHS said Karen and Patch’s tragic ordeal was “a stark reminder of just how important it is for drivers to pass horses safely on our roads”.

“Unfortunately, we are regularly contacted by riders who have been involved in near-misses or incidents due to cars passing by too close or too fast.

“While we can never take away the trauma of being involved in a road incident, there are steps that riders can take to ensure appropriate legal action is taken, most importantly contacting the police.

“It is important to remember as much information as possible about the incident in question, including noting down a description of the driver and vehicle.

“We appreciate, however, that it is not always possible to remember the details which is why more riders are choosing to wear a head or body camera when out riding. Taking these steps could make a difference to the outcome of an investigation and potential prosecution.

“We would also encourage riders to log their incidents or near misses with the BHS, via our Horse i app.

“This data is critical to the work we do to lobby for change in safety laws and played a vital role when it came to informing the recent changes to the Highway Code for equestrians – where drivers are advised to pass horses at no more than 10mph and at a distance of two metres.”

East Anglian Daily Times: