Cop Cleared of Death Charges After High-Speed Chase Tragedy in Penge
Joshua Dobby, 23, was tearing through Penge, southeast London, at 60 mph in a 20 mph zone. Driving a stolen Ford Focus, he lost control, mounted the pavement, and crashed into a 10-year-old child actor and his aunt on August 31, 2016. A third child suffered serious injuries in the smash.
PC Edward Welch Denies Causing Deaths in Police Pursuit
PC Edward Welch, 34, has always insisted he acted to protect the public. The officer activated his lights and sirens in an attempt to stop Dobby, who then fled on foot. Despite a lengthy investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Welch was charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and one count of dangerous driving.
But after less than two hours of jury deliberation on Wednesday, December 7, Welch was cleared of all charges.
The Fleeing Fugitive: Joshua Dobby’s Grim Record
- Dobby is the estranged son of millionaire pet food mogul Mark Dobby.
- He was convicted of two counts of manslaughter by gross negligence at the Old Bailey.
- With no driver’s licence and 53 prior convictions, Dobby was jailed for 12 years in March 2017.
- He stole the Ford Focus just six days before the fatal crash.
Investigation and Inquest Timeline
PC Welch joined the police in 2008 and completed over two months of advanced driving courses before being allowed to pursue suspects in police BMWs. The IOPC completed its investigation by August 2017.
In June 2019, an inquest ruled that Dobby’s actions unlawfully caused the deaths of Makayah and Mc Cooper. The Crown Prosecution Service later authorised charges against Welch on May 18, 2021.
Despite the tragedy, the jury today sided with PC Welch, clearing him of all wrongdoing.
