Greater Manchester Police officer charged with causing death by dangerous driving

A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer is facing a charge of causing death by dangerous driving following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation.

PC Mark Burrows, 45, is due to appear at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 11 March charged with causing death by dangerous driving, contrary to section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The charge is in connection with a fatal road traffic collision in Royton, Oldham, on 23 December 2022.

Shortly after 10am, an unmarked police car being driven by the officer, had been in pursuit of an Audi A3 that officers believed to be stolen, and collided with a Peugeot 108 at the junction of Oldham Road and Otmoor Way.

Paramedics and an air ambulance attended and treated the driver of the Peugeot, Heather Smedley, 53, for her injuries. She was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

We began our investigation after receiving a mandatory referral from GMP in December 2022.

At the end of our investigation in October 2023 we sent a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for consideration of any potential criminal offence. The CPS subsequently authorised the charge last month.