Death crash: Police report ‘was suppressed’

Thursday 2nd March 2006, 12:00AM GMT.

THE Island’s legal authorities have been accused of ‘suppressing’ a report into the accident in which Debbie Gardiner died on St Clement’s Coast Road last August.

Mrs Gardiner (37) was killed when a States police car driven by P sgt Mark Hafey collided with her Mazda on the Coast Road while the police car was responding to an emergency call.

David Edwards, a solicitor for a Cheshire-based law practice who represents the family, said that they had been refused a request for a copy of the report into the accident prepared by specialist investigators from Devon and Cornwall police.

The States police say that the Devon and Cornwall report was given to the Law Officers’ department and that it is a matter for the Law Officers to determine what, if any, information can be released at this stage.

Solicitor General Stéphanie Nicolle was not available for comment this morning.

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