PC John Dougal faces jail over death of Hayley Adamson

Apr 9 2009 by Tom Wilkinson, The Journal

SHAMED police officer John Dougal is today facing years in jail after being convicted of causing schoolgirl Hayley Adamson’s death by dangerous driving.

PC Dougal drove his patrol car at 94mph without blue lights or sirens moments before knocking down and killing 16-year-old Hayley.

She was sent flying through the air and died instantly when she was hit by the Volvo estate car on a 30mph stretch of road in Newcastle’s West End last May.

The 41-year-old officer denied causing death by dangerous driving, but was yesterday convicted by a jury following a five-day trial at Newcastle Crown Court. The eight women and four men took an hour and a half to deliberate before reaching their unanimous verdict.

Dougal was told prison was inevitable and was remanded in custody to be sentenced on May 1.

He did not react when the foreman announced the guilty verdict, but members of the Adamson family cried "yes".

Judge David Hodson said: "You will be remanded in custody and you must appreciate that the inevitable outcome of a conviction of an offence of this nature is an immediate sentence of custody."

He added: "I am sure everybody who has sat through this case will be acutely conscious of the grief there has been to the Adamson family. I think it is right the court should express the court’s condolences to the family."

Dougal, a qualified advanced driver, was travelling so fast he had effectively become a passenger in his own car, the jury had been told.