Death driver cleared

Friday 13th April 2007, 12:00AM BST.

A POLICEMAN has been acquitted of causing the death of a newlywed 37-year-old woman after crashing into her car while responding to an emergency call.

But shortly after the not-guilty verdict was delivered in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday evening, the family of Debbie Gardiner questioned whether Sgt Mark Hafey had received special treatment because he is a police officer. Sgt Hafey was en route to a 999 incident on 1 August 2005 when the car he was driving hit a red Mazda on St Clement’s coast road at 47 mph, killing Mrs Gardiner and leaving David, her husband of two months, with severe injuries.

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