Kent Police have hit back at a county court judgement which places “100 per cent” blame on a constable who was driving the car that killed a young mother.

Earlier this week, Judge Jonathan Simpkiss concluded that Kent Police were wholly liable in the death of 29-year-old Rachel Cheesewright, from Kennington, Ashford.

Miss Cheesewright, a barmaid at the Bonny Cravat pub in Woodchurch was on her way home from a shift when a police Skoda smashed into her Ford Fiesta on the A28 at Bethersden in October 2005.

Sitting at Canterbury county court, Mr Simpkiss found that PC William Purse was negligent because he did not have the siren sounding and had come around a bend too fast.

However, a statement from Kent Police says that the judgement “flies in the face of all previous detailed examinations of the facts and has implications for all emergency services.”

Ian Pointon, chairman of the Kent Police Federation said: “On the night in question, Constable Purse, an advanced police driver, was responding to an emergency call in a vehicle equipped to do so.

“In reality, Miss Cheesewright pulled from a side road onto the main A28 into the path of a police vehicle displaying headlights and blue lights.

“It was dark and these would have been clearly visible. Consequently, with nearly 24 years of policing experience I find it difficult to comprehend how Constable Purse is wholly liable.”

He added: “The Independent Police Complaints Commission, the Crown Prosecution Service and the inquest have all concluded this was a tragic accident and that Constable Purse was not at fault.

“I am perplexed that the county court has produced a judgement so at odds with these others.

“This judgement, contrary to comments made by the Cheesewright family’s solicitor, Ms Harman, has implications for all the emergency services and not just the police.

“When members of the public call for urgent assistance, whether that is fire, ambulance or police, they expect a speedy response; if you’re having a heart attack you want the ambulance there quickly.

“I sincerely hope this judgement won’t result in emergency vehicles keeping to the speed limits lest someone pulls out in front of them.”

He concluded: “I fully understand the desire to find someone to blame and my thoughts are with both the Cheesewright family and the officers involved in this tragic accident.”