Three off-duty police officers convicted following motorcycle crash

It happened near Chichester in 2020

Author: Ryan BurrowsPublished 8th Mar 2022

Three off-duty Sussex Police officers have pleaded guilty to dangerous driving following a collision near Chichester.

A hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on Monday (March 7th) heard that the three riders, all off-duty police officers, were travelling south towards Chichester when the crash happened at Chilgrove at 1.20pm on July 11th, 2020.

Two of the motorcyclists suffered multiple injuries when their bikes collided with a red Ford Fiesta.

The driver of the red Ford Fiesta involved, an 80-year-old man from Chichester and his passenger sustained minor injuries.

31-year-olds James Latter and Alan Harris, both based at Lewes, and 55-year-old Ahmet Yapicioz, based at Gatwick, were summonsed to court to face the charge of dangerous driving.

Yapicioz and Harris were also summonsed with driving at a speed exceeding 60 miles an hour.

All three pleaded guilty to the offences when they appeared at court and sentencing was adjourned for reports until April 8th at the same court.

Chief Superintendent Jerry Westerman said:

"Sussex Police strives to keep people safe on our roads and the reckless actions of these three individuals has caused harm to both themselves and others. They have rightly been held to account for their behaviour and we will continue to take action against all those that break the law and endanger the lives of others.

"These officers have failed to maintain the high standards Sussex Police expects of all its officers, on and off duty, and an internal misconduct investigation will now be completed."

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