Avon and Somerset Police officer sentenced for causing serious injury by dangerous driving

A serving Avon and Somerset Police officer, who seriously injured a member of the public while responding to a police incident, has received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

PC Daniel Fortune, aged 41, pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing after he was charged following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into an incident in Bristol, on 6 September 2023.

At Gloucester Crown Court yesterday, (2 June), the officer was given a six-month prison term, suspended for 18 months, as well as being banned from driving for 12 months.

IOPC director Derrick Campbell said: “The serious injuries sustained by the member of the public due to PC Fortune’s manner of driving will have lasting consequences for the woman and were avoidable.

“The officer is a trained police driver. While driving guidance permits officers to pass through red lights and travel above the speed limit where necessary in the circumstances, an officer’s manner of driving shouldn’t endanger the safety of other road users.

“PC Fortune admitted driving an unmarked police car dangerously when he didn’t brake or slow down and passed through a red light at nearly 70mph. By the time he saw the other vehicle, he was travelling too fast to avoid a collision.”

PC Fortune was on the A4 Portway, responding to an emergency call, when the Volvo XC90 went through a red light and collided with a car being driven by a member of the public, at the junction with Hung Road. The woman driver was seriously injured and the passenger in the unmarked police vehicle was also injured.

During our investigation we obtained and analysed video footage from inside the Volvo, CCTV and the officers’ body worn video as well as gathering witness statements. We interviewed PC Fortune under criminal caution and reviewed relevant force training, policies and police driving guidance.

At the end of our investigation in May 2024, we referred our report to the Crown Prosecution Service, who subsequently decided to charge the officer.

We also found PC Fortune had a case to answer for gross misconduct in relation to his driving prior to the collision and, following today’s sentence, we understand that Avon and Somerset Police will hold an accelerated misconduct hearing later this month.