Met officer given suspended prison sentence for causing death by careless driving

A Met Police officer, who struck and killed a moped rider while driving to an emergency callout, has received a suspended prison sentence for causing death by careless driving.

PC Ian Brotherton, aged 32, pleaded guilty after he was charged following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into the death of Brazilian national Cristopher de Carvalho Guedes in north London.

At the Old Bailey this afternoon, PC Brotherton given a six month prison sentence, which is suspended for 18 months. He was also sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from driving for 30 months.

Shortly after 3pm on 12 October 2023, PC Brotherton was driving a marked police van on Southbury Road, Enfield, as officers responded to an emergency callout, with the vehicle’s lights and sirens activated.

PC Brotherton drove towards the junction with Baird Road, where the traffic lights were on red, and accelerated as he approached the junction, travelling at 47 mph.

As he drove through the junction, the police van struck the moped being ridden by Mr Guedes, aged 26, who was travelling through the Southbury Road junction from Baird Road.

Mr Guedes was thrown from his moped into metal railings and, despite wearing a helmet, suffered significant head injuries. He was treated by officers and paramedics at the scene and was transported to hospital where he tragically died.

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “The death of Mr Guedes was an avoidable tragedy and our sympathies are with his family, who are based in Brazil, along with everyone affected by this incident.

“PC Brotherton was 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, it is never justified if the officer’s manner of driving endangers other road users.

“PC Brotherton admitted he drove in a careless manner when he didn’t brake or slow down when he passed through the red light at the junction. By the time he saw Mr Guedes, he was travelling too fast to avoid a collision.

“Unfortunately, his actions have had fatal consequences and he has now been held accountable.”

Our investigation began following a mandatory referral from the force. We reviewed police dash cam footage and body worn video. We obtained a forensic collision investigation report, accounts from witnesses and the second officer in the vehicle driven by PC Brotherton, who was himself interviewed under criminal caution. We also reviewed relevant force training, policies and police driving guidance.

We completed our investigation in April 2024 and sent a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised charges of dangerous driving causing death and careless driving causing death.

In January, PC Brotherton pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death and the prosecution agreed to let the dangerous driving causing death charge lie on file.

Following our investigation, we also decided that the officer should face a gross misconduct hearing to face allegations that his manner of driving breached the police standards of professional behaviour. We will now liaise with the force about disciplinary proceedings.