Terry Easterby died in a
crash on the A2 in February

EXCLUSIVE

by Dan Bloom

dbloom@thekmgroup.co.uk

The family of a police sergeant killed by a 76-year-old careless
driver have branded his sentence "outrageous" – and are
devastated after missing their day in court.

Annette Easterby has spoken for the first time since her husband
Terry's death after pensioner Roland Millington admitted causing a
fatal crash on the A2.

DS Easterby, 44, was off-duty when Millington ran a red light
and knocked him from his motorbike. The father-of-three and
grandfather-of-three died from his injuries.

Medway magistrates called the crash in London Road, Rainham, a
"complete accident"
and spared Millington jail last Friday.

Yet due to a police error, the family of DS Easterby
– ironically a police family liaison officer himself – were
told the hearing would only be to study paperwork. They only
realised the case was closed when they read Monday's Medway Messenger.

Annette Easterby, widow
of DS Terry Easterby, and her family were upset to read of the
sentence from the Medway Messenger

Mrs Easterby, of Cheriton Road, Rainham, just half a mile from
the accident, said: "We needed to be in court to have closure. We
wanted Mr Millington to see our faces.

"I had just got back from walking the dog on Monday and I didn't
have a clue. My parents were at my house and they brought me
indoors and made me read the headline.

"I was in shock. It was probably as much shock as the day I was
told Terry had been killed. I am very angry and I feel like it has
all been done behind my back."

Her father Ken Mellows, 66, said: "We are a strong, caring
family and by not being there, it looked as though we didn't
care."

Millington, of Cooling Road, Cliffe, mistook a green "straight
ahead" arrow for a red "turn right" arrow, swinging into DS
Easterby's path on February 25.

Magistrates heard he had driven for 50 years without an accident
and was now losing sleep due to "constantly thinking about the
accident and the Easterby family".

He admitted causing death by careless driving and prosecutors
recommended an eight-month jail sentence. The offence carries up to
five years' prison.

Magistrates gave Millington a year-long driving ban, a 120-day
suspended prison term, six-month community order and £85 court
costs.

kent police's response

supt rachel adams, district commander for medway, said: "i am saddened that they were not given the opportunity to be present at medway magistrates' court last friday, when the defendant was sentenced.

"we have been working very closely with the family throughout this case and had expected the matter to be committed to crown court at the recent magistrates' court hearing.

"however, the fact that the decision was made to carry out sentencing on the same day is within the power of the court, as the defendant made a full early admission of guilt.

"understandably this has caused ds easterby's family a great deal of distress, as they were not given the opportunity to be in court to see closure being brought at the end of this tragic period.

"we will now work very closely with the family over the next week to discuss the court process, the sentence and to continue to support them, recognising that they are deeply upset."

Mrs Easterby, 43, said: "It's outrageous. I'm really, really
shocked someone who did something that killed my husband walked out
with a few less notes in his wallet.

"I know accidents happen, and nothing's going to bring my
husband back. I just feel that how it's all been dealt with has
come nowhere near giving us closure."

DS Easterby won an award with Kent Police for co-ordinating
family liaison officers, whose job it is to follow court dates and
ensure the welfare of victims' families.

He was especially close to the family of Claire Morris, who was
murdered by her husband Malcolm Webster in a staged car crash in
1994.

Mrs Easterby's sister Clare Heath, 40, said: "Terry's life was
upholding the law. Now the law has let him down."

DS Easterby and his wife would have celebrated their 10th
wedding anniversary last month.

The family have formally complained to Medway Council about the
Bloors Lane junction where DS Easterby died, calling the road
layout "awful".

Meanwhile, Mrs Easterby, a dinner lady at St Margaret's Infant
School, in Rainham, wants the law changed to make people retake
their driving test as they grow older.

She said: "I think magistrates' judgement gets clouded when they
see an elderly man in the dock.

"I just feel that if you were a happy, competent driver and were
asked to go for another test, you wouldn't have a problem with
that."