A Metropolitan Police officer has pleaded not guilty to causing the death of a pregnant woman by dangerous driving following a high-speed Collision in south-east London.
Mariam Ahmed, 38, died after her Volkswagen Polo was involved in a collision on Eltham Road on 17 October 2024. Her unborn child could not be saved.
PC Chris Johnson, 56, appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday and denied causing Ms Ahmed’s death by dangerous driving.
Former PC Danny Tomkins, 35, also pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving in relation to events before the fatal collision.
Officers allegedly drove at more than 70mph
The court heard the two officers had been on duty in separate police vehicles as part of a “pre-planned deployment”.
Prosecutors allege both drove at speeds exceeding 70mph in a 30mph limit and overtook other traffic on the wrong side of the road for approximately 130 metres.
Johnson was driving the police vehicle involved in the collision and was allegedly travelling at around 50mph at the point of impact, prosecutor Louise Oakley KC told the court.
Tomkins’ vehicle was not involved in the collision. Prosecutors allege he had overtaken Ms Ahmed at 78mph shortly before the crash.
The prosecution says Ms Ahmed had been travelling in the same direction as the officers and had indicated that she intended to turn off Eltham Road before the collision.
Trial set for June 2027
The criminal charges followed an Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation after the Metropolitan Police made a mandatory referral.
Johnson remains attached to the Met’s Taskforce. Tomkins was serving with the same unit at the time of the incident but has since left the force.
Both men have been granted unconditional bail.
They are due to return to the Old Bailey for a case management hearing on 8 January 2027, with a trial scheduled to begin on 7 June 2027.
