Police officer guilty of perverting course of justice regarding Ealing crash

By Dimitris Kouimtsidis

26th Aug 2021 | Local News

PC Donna Coker will be sentenced on July 19. Image Credit: Metropolitan Police
PC Donna Coker will be sentenced on July 19. Image Credit: Metropolitan Police

A SERVING police officer has been found guilty of perverting the course of justice following a car crash in West Ealing.

PC Donna Coker was found guilty on Monday, June 21, of perverting the course of justice in relation to a police collision that took place four years ago and will be sentenced on July 19.

On August 6 2017, PC Varinder Sehmi was driving a marked police vehicle going westbound along Uxbridge Road towards the junction with Dane Road, in response to an emergency call.

The front of the police car collided with a vehicle at the junction with Dane Road, with a member of the public receiving serious injuries as a result.

The incident was immediately reported to the Department of Professional Standards (DPS) and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

All officers who attended the scene were asked to write a statement, including PC Coker.

A DPS officer noticed a number of inconsistencies in her statement and the statement of one other officer, which was subsequently flagged to the investigation team.

A full review took place and PC Coker was charged with perverting the course of justice in March 2020.

PC Sehmi was found guilty of causing serious injury by dangerous driving on March 12.

He was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and given a two-year driving ban.

Following his conviction, the DPS are working on a report to decide what disciplinary action may take place.

Chief Superintendent Peter Gardner, the West Area BCU Commander which covers Ealing, said: "We take any case of perverting the course of justice very seriously, not least when the individual in question is a serving police officer.

"The Jury have heard how PC Coker tailored her statement to try and absolve PC Sehmi of any wrongdoing, which goes directly against what we stand for as an organisation.

"We will continue to ensure officers are acting to the highest degree of professionalism and where they fall short we will be swift to investigate this.

"Misconduct proceedings will now follow and we await the outcome of that."

     

New ealing Jobs Section Launched!!
Vacancies updated hourly!!
Click here: ealing jobs

Share:

Related Articles

Friends of the Victoria Hall welcome 'some improvements' from the charity commission but want 'proper definition' on public use of the site (credit: Roger Green/Flickr).
Local News

Friends of the Victoria Hall push charity commission for changes on latest ruling

(Front left to right) James Ellis, Councillor Yvonne Johnson, Sue Green, Father Richard Collins and Ben Ellis holding the Christmas card shop banner during its opening on 29 October 2024 (credit: Image supplied).
Local News

Ealing Charity Christmas Card Shop returns for 39th year

Sign-Up for our FREE Newsletter

We want to provide ealing with more and more clickbait-free local news.
To do that, we need a loyal newsletter following.
Help us survive and sign up to our FREE weekly newsletter.

Already subscribed? Thank you. Just press X or click here.
We won't pass your details on to anyone else.
By clicking the Subscribe button you agree to our Privacy Policy.