Rugby couple present annual awards to police traffic investigators in memory of daughter Livia
A BEREAVED Rugby couple have presented awards to two police collision investigators who went the extra mile to help their communities, in memory of their daughter who was killed by a dangerous driver. George and Giulietta Galli-Atkinson held the 25th Livia Award for Professionalism and Service to Justice at a ceremony at New Scotland Yard. They founded the award in the name of their daughter Livia, who died at the age of 16 in 1998 when a driver mounted the pavement and ran her over while she was walking to her ballet class in Enfield.
The award is made annually to an officer in the Metropolitan Police Service’s Roads and Transport Policing Command Serious Collision Investigation Units who is judged to have provided the most meritorious service to road death investigation, and who has provided the family of a road crash victim with outstanding commitment. A special award was presented by Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe to Warwickshire Collision Investigator Karen Powell, for her personal dedication and excellence in collision investigation into a fatal hit-and-run case. The dangerous driver responsible pleaded guilty to all charges, leading to a conviction for manslaughter and a lifetime driving disqualification – unprecedented in Warwickshire.
The 2023 winner of the Livia Award was DC Davina Nash who was the collision investigator for a serious injury collision in Acton in 2021, when a moped rider drove through a red light and hit a two-year-old girl who was crossing the road. DC Nash acted as the Family Liaison Officer for the victim’s family, and her investigation resulted in a successful prosecution for causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and driving while over the cannabis limit. Inspired by the police team who dealt with Livia’s case in 1998, the Galli-Atkinsons established the award to highlight the work of collision investigators and Family Liaison Officers.
They said: “Over 25 years, it has been our privilege to highlight the very difficult, little-understood role and work of road collision investigators and family liaison officers, not just in London but nationwide. “We have never been disappointed by the endeavours of these specialists who show the will to serve and, above all, to do right. They have our gratitude, admiration, and support.”
Supporter and Rugby MP Mark Pawsey said: “It has been inspirational – but also deeply challenging – to learn about the work of road collision investigators within the police.
“The work which Giulietta and George have done to run the Livia Awards for 25 years has done so much to highlight this really valuable role within policing and recognised many police officers who have gone above and beyond for families like theirs.”