Khia Whithead has been left bed bound and paralysed as a result of the incident (Picture: PA)
A police officer who left a 15-year-old boy with catastrophic life-changing injuries after hitting him in her squad car while driving dangerously on a 999 call has been jailed.
PC Sarah De Meulemeester, 26, hit speeds of up to 61mph on 30mph roads and went the wrong way around a traffic island while travelling to an emergency in Stockport on Boxing Day, 2020.
Her patrol car then crashed into Khia Whitehead, 15, on Garners Lane in Adswood, leaving him with significant brain injuries and requiring round-the-clock care.
In a victim impact statement, Khia’s mum said her son is ‘now like a newborn baby’.
Khia is now fed, medicated and has physiotherapy. He has a period of ‘brain rest’ at a day centre, where he is placed in a darkened room to help his brain recover.
In a separate statement, the court heard from his aunt, who said has been ‘left to grieve for the person her nephew once was’.
With the boy’s family watching on, De Meulemeester told the court: ‘There’s no words that can ever begin to say how sorry I am, how sorry I am this happened.
‘There’s nothing that can make it right.’
He suffered with catastrophic life changing injuries (Picture: PA)
Khia was standing in the hatched area behind the island with a friend when another police car, with its blue lights on, sped past on its way to the domestic incident.
He became distracted watching the car after it passed and stepped into the road not realising the defendant’s vehicle and another GMP car were following.
Khia suffered severe head and brain injuries and was left in a persistent vegetative state.
De Meulemeester was found guilty guilty of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after a trial and jailed for two-and-a-half years.
She admitted her driving was careless but denied it was dangerous.
As a basic level police driver, De Meulemeester was required to observe all speed limits and was not entitled to use the statutory exemptions available to police drivers who have received advanced training.
Her vehicle was one of three driving in convoy, having left the police station at the same time to attend the incident.
Khia pictured before the incident took place (Picture: PA)
When information about the use of a knife came through on the radio, another officer who was trained and authorised to drive above the speed limit, overtook De Meulemeester’s vehicle and switched on emergency lights.
Speed data from the police car showed De Meulemeester initially slowed down slightly to allow her colleague to overtake, but then increased her speed again.
While following the other vehicle, she reached speeds of more than twice the legal limit.
She initially told investigators she had been travelling at a ‘normal road speed’ and declined to answer further questions in interview about the manner of her driving and her reasons for it.
After she was jailed, Khia’s family said in a statement: ‘We are delighted with the outcome of this case and thank the judge for making his decision.
‘We know nothing is ever going to be justice for what she did to our family and destroying our son’s life.
‘Her jail sentence is not going to bring Khia back but having her held accountable for her actions sets a tone to all the other police officers who continuously break their own laws. “No emergency is so great that it justifies injuring or killing someone, it is better to arrive late than not at all”.
‘Police officers are not above the law and will be investigated and brought to justice.’
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In a victim impact statement, Khia’s mum said her son is ‘now like a newborn baby’.
