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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS BY DEPUTY G.C.L. BAUDAINS OF ST. CLEMENT
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 14th FEBRUARY 2006
Question
Would the Minister inform the Assembly whether she is satisfied that police investigations of traffic accidents involving fatalities are completed expeditiously, and would she give an indication of the time within which such an investigation should usually be completed?
Answer
The last fatal road traffic crash investigated by the States of Jersey Police occurred on 12th May 2005, and was a double fatality in St. Martin. As there was only one car involved, and the driver died, there was no file to H.M. Attorney General. The file was forwarded to the Deputy Viscount on 13th May 2005. Other technical evidence would have been available for the inquest.
Previous to that, the States of Jersey Police investigated a fatal crash which occurred outside the hospital on 12th February 2004. After investigation, the file was completed and finalised to H.M. Attorney General on 23rd June 2004, who ruled that there should be no prosecution.
The States of Jersey Police carry out their enquiries into fatal road crashes in accordance with the ACPO guidelines. They are carried out expeditiously and thoroughly. The length of time will vary with the types of evidence that has to be produced. Much of it is technical and expert, which means that it is often not available overnight, or indeed, on the Island.
Because of the vastly different investigation requirements of different crashes it is not possible to prescribe precise timetables but on the evidence available I am satisfied that all such enquiries conducted by the States of Jersey Police are carried out to an appropriate standard and timescale.