A motorist has gone on trial accused of killing a policeman by dangerous driving.

PC Phillip Pratt was diverting traffic off the A249 near Bobbing following an earlier accident, when he was hit by a grey Peugeot and fatally injured.

The Peugeot was being driven by Stephen Pirie, 48, of Ramsgate Road, Broadstairs.

He denies causing death by dangerous driving in June 2009 and alternatively causing death by careless driving.

Prosecutor Danny Robinson told Canterbury Crown Court on Tuesday the first accident was caused when a vehicle hit a bird, swerved, hit the central reservation and overturned at about 7.40am on June 14.

The road was closed and the air ambulance had been called, so both carriageways had to be closed for it to land. PC Gavin Scales was driving with PC Pratt and they were to close the Sheerness-bound carriageway.

They intended to close the road just past a slip road so traffic could be diverted to the Key Street roundabout.

PC Pratt put cones in the road and was waving traffic off the carriageway, including a red van being driven by Stephen Ahern.

Mr Pirie was driving to work but did not leave as directed. “For a reason he could not explain at the time, Mr Pirie drove straight on,” said Mr Robinson.

He did not take notice of the officer in the road signalling all cars to leave.

Mr Robinson said: “When PC Pratt realised Mr Pirie was going on, he turned to run and in turning to run it may be he tripped over and Mr Pirie’s car collided with him. He sustained serious injuries of which he later died.”

Mr Ahern had earlier overtaken Mr Pirie, who was driving between 30mph and 50mph, and drove along the A249 until he saw PC Pratt signalling in the road.

The police vehicle’s tailgate was raised but its lights were on, giving due warning of the hazard in the road.

Mr Robinson added: “Part of the prosecution’s case is if Mr Pirie was driving properly he should have seen the marked police vehicle parked in the middle of the road.

“There was no defect in the Peugeot and no suggestion of alcohol or that the defendant was on his mobile.”

The trial is due to finish next week.

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Questioned at the scene, Mr Pirie was unable to give an explanation for the collision.

He said he was driving, then there were two yellow jackets in the road.

He swerved to avoid them.

He said: “I assumed he [PC Pratt] would run but he didn’t and then I hit him.”

Asked what speed he was doing, he said he was not in any rush to get to work and going about 60mph.

He said his phone was switched on but not being used.

Asked how far ahead the people in the yellow jackets were, he said he did not know, they were just there.

Mr Pirie said his memory was vague.

He could not remember a helicopter hovering over the area and could not remember seeing a marked police vehicle.