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Eight years for car thief who killed ‘outstanding’ PC
Leeds graduate officer run over twice by stolen car
A CAR thief who ran over and killed a “brave and absolutely outstanding” policewoman was jailed for eight years yesterday.
Disqualified driver Thomas Whaley denied the murder of 29-year-old Leeds graduate Alison Armitage but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
PC Armitage, whose parents live in Malton, North Yorkshire, was run over twice by a stolen car in the car park of a derelict pub in Oldham in March while working undercover.
Sentencing Whaley at Manchester Crown Court Mr Justice Hunt told him: “You took the life of a brave, conscientious and plainly absolutely outstanding 29-year-old officer who was doing her duty.
“You have devastated her family, her friends and her colleagues simply to save yourselves from coming to court.
“These offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence of some length can be passed and that sentence must reflect public condemnation of what you did.”
The judge sentenced Whaley, of Oldham, Greater Manchester, to eight years for manslaughter.
He was also given 12 months for theft, four years for aggravated vehicle taking, one year for the charge of driving whilst disqualified, all the sentences to run concurrently.
He was further disqualified from driving for 10 years.
The court had been told how on March 5 this year, PC Armitage had been working undercover with a colleague investigating the theft of a car.
A Vauxhall Vectra had been stolen the previous day and PC Armitage and her colleague, PC Gary Lamont, spotted it parked outside a shop in Oldham.
Henry Globe QC, prosecuting, said PC Lamont and PC Armitage pulled up nearby and soon heard Whaley return to the car and start the engine.
PC Lamont immediately ran to the driver‘s side of the car and began banging on the window, shouting: “Police. Stop. Get out of the car.”
Whaley then put the car in reverse and started to pull away.
“Constable Lamont remembers hearing a thud, then PC Armitage screaming at him from the rear of the Vectra.”
Mr Globe said that at this point, PC Armitage appeared to have slipped.
He said: “He (Pc Lamont) saw her being sucked under the moving car as the Vectra reversed over her.
“She disappeared from view and was dragged further up the road by the car.”
Mr Globe added: “Constable Lamont could hear Constable Armitage under the car. She was rolling and sliding with the car’s movements. She came to a stop with her head by his feet.”
When the car stopped, PC Lamont arrested Whaley and told him to lie on the road as he tended to his colleague.
But as he returned to where PC Armitage lay underneath the car, Whaley got up and escaped on foot before eventually being caught by a member of the public nearby.
Paul Worsley QC, defending, told the court that not a day passed when Whaley had not thought of the tragedy he had caused.
“Thomas Whaley appreciates that his actions have robbed the community of a brave, dedicated, talented officer and her family of a much loved daughter,” he said. But he said that his client had panicked.
PC Armitage’s parents, Stewart and Lillian Armitage, of Appleton le Street, Malton, were in court to hear the sentencing.
Afterwards Mrs Armitage said: “We have lost our lovely Alison, who loved the world, her family and the police force.
“She should still be here. We are totally devastated. Whatever sentence was passed today would never have been enough – but today we feel justice has been done.”
She added: “As a family we would really like to thank Greater Manchester Police for all their help and support. They have been terrific.”
Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester David McCrone paid tribute to PC Armitage.
He said: “Alison Armitage was a young woman who committed herself to the police service and to working to protect and help the community.
“It was a job she loved and a job she devoted herself to with great energy and enthusiasm.
“Alison was a very popular colleague who had tremendous enthusiasm for life and for the job she loved. She is someone who is tragically missed by all who knew her.”
Mr McCrone added: “I hope that now this trial is over, with the person responsible acknowledging his responsibility for Alison's tragic death, this will in some way help start the healing process for all those who still grieve for Alison.”
michael.brown@ypn.co.uk
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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