A police car was travelling at 60mph in a 40mph zone, on the wrong side of a road in Aylesbury, when it struck and killed a 27-year-old woman out for a run. That detail alone sat at the centre of an inquest, a reinvestigation, and now a criminal charge that took years to materialise.

Kimberley Cameron had been jogging on the A41 Bicester Road in Buckinghamshire when PC Philip Duthie's vehicle hit her. She had dreams of becoming an NHS nurse and following her father and grandfather into the RAF. She managed Type 1 diabetes and pushed against it constantly, through cycling, running, and a determination to challenge her physical limits. The people who knew her described her at the inquest as an "aspiring, kind and thoughtful person" and a much-loved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, friend and colleague.

What the Officer Was Doing

PC Duthie was on duty and responding to a grade 1 emergency call — a report of two children trapped inside a burning car following a crash on the A41 in Waddesdon. A grade 1 call requires a response within 15 minutes. His vehicle had lights and sirens active at the time of the collision.

That context matters. But it did not close the question of whether his driving met the standard required even under emergency conditions. A police driving trainer who gave evidence at the inquest stated that the officer should have slowed considerably, given that he did not have a clear view of the crossing ahead. The Independent Office for Police Conduct was more direct. In a letter to Kimberley's family, the IOPC director wrote: "Whilst I accept the officer was using lights and sirens, he was creating significant danger by exceeding the speed limit whilst driving on the wrong side of the road."

Why It Took Years to Reach a Charge

The inquest into Kimberley's death was held at Beaconsfield Coroners Court. Her family later told the BBC they believed that inquest was flawed. New evidence that emerged during the proceedings prompted the IOPC to open a reinvestigation. That reinvestigation concluded in December 2025, and the Crown Prosecution Service subsequently authorised a charge under section 2B of the Road Traffic Act 1988 — causing death by careless driving.

The CPS did not charge Duthie with causing death by dangerous driving, which carries a heavier potential sentence. The distinction between the two charges is a matter of the assessed standard of driving, and it is a distinction that carries real weight in cases involving emergency response.

Where the Case Stands Now

PC Philip Duthie, now 41, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where he elected to have his case heard by a judge and jury at crown court. He was released on unconditional bail and is next due to appear at the Old Bailey on May 26. He remains a serving police officer, currently on restricted duties.

The charge follows years of sustained pressure from Kimberley's family, a reinvestigation they had to fight for, and a process that stretched well past the original inquiry they believed had failed her.