A Metropolitan Police officer was driving at approximately 80mph on the wrong side of a road in Eltham, southeast London, before a collision that resulted in the death of a pregnant woman, a court has heard. Mariam Ahmed, 38, died when her Volkswagen Polo was struck in a high-speed crash on Eltham Road on October 17, 2024. Her unborn child also did not survive the incident.
Court Proceedings
Police Constable Chris Johnson, 56, and former Police Constable Danny Tomkins, 35, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, May 28, where they confirmed their names, addresses, and dates of birth. Both men were on duty at the time of the crash, driving separate vehicles at speeds exceeding 70mph on a road with a 30mph limit, the court was told.
Johnson, from Tonbridge, was driving the vehicle directly involved in the collision and reached speeds "somewhere in the region of 80mph," according to prosecutor Catherine Farrelly KC. "He appeared to have accelerated to the maximum capability of the vehicle he was driving," she said. At the moment of impact, Johnson had slowed to around 50mph, "braking to the maximum," the prosecution added.
Second Officer's Role
Tomkins, who has denied dangerous driving, was operating a second police vehicle that was not involved in the collision. He overtook Ms. Ahmed at 78mph just before the crash, the court heard. Farrelly stated, "The two of them were on duty as part of a pre-planned deployment targeting vehicles suspected of involvement in criminal activity."
Ms. Ahmed was traveling in the same direction on the same road as the officers and had indicated her intention to turn off before the collision, according to the court. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that Johnson is attached to the Met's Taskforce, while Tomkins was assigned to the same unit at the time but has since left the force.
Investigation and Next Steps
The charges follow an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which launched a probe after a mandatory referral from the Met. Both men have been granted unconditional bail and are scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey on June 25.
