Police officer killed by train ‘seconds after being ordered to stay off tracks'
A police sergeant was struck by a train seconds after being told to stay off the tracks, an inquest has heard.
Two trains, which could have been travelling up to 120mph, were coming from both directions before Sgt Graham Saville, 46, was fatally injured on the line in Balderton, near Newark, Notts, on Aug 24 2023.
Sgt Saville, who was based in Newark, was responding to a concerns about a man, referred to in court as Patient C, who had called emergency services that evening saying he had taken an overdose.
Nottinghamshire Coroners Court heard that an order telling the officers to stay off the line was made by the control room 20 minutes after the first call was made about Patient C going towards the railway line.
The order was made 'far too late' for officers to get off the track, the inquest heard.
Coroner Laurinda Bower also told the inquest that there was no successful communication from the police control room to Network Rail asking it to stop the trains until 20 seconds before Sgt Saville was struck.
Pc Liv Stockdale, who was on duty alongside Sgt Saville and Pc Ben Powell at the time of the incident, gave evidence to the inquest on Tuesday.
The court heard Pc Stockdale repeatedly asked the control room to contact Network Rail for the trains to be stopped and said Patient C was 'running down' to the tracks.
The coroner asked: 'Were you reassured by that communication that there was contact with Network Rail to get an urgent stop on the line?'
The witness replied: 'From what I remember, yes.'
The court heard there was 'very little time' between Sgt Saville arriving at the scene and him instructing Pc Powell to go over the fence, which he did, followed by Sgt Saville and Pc Stockdale.
Pc Stockdale told the inquest: 'When we went down on to the trackside it was more to keep an eye on Patient C because he was running further away from where we were initially stood.'
Ms Bower said: 'At 19:08 hours you put another call out over the radio saying you can see a train in both directions coming. In fairness to you this is a matter of seconds, about 15 seconds, before sadly Graham is struck.'
The inquest heard that the trains travel at around 120mph and can cover 55 metres per second, which the coroner described as 'incredibly fast, blink of an eye stuff'.
The inquest heard there was an instruction made over the radio at 7.08pm that 'all officers are to stay off the tracks', but this was two seconds before Sgt Saville was hit.
Pc Stockdale said: 'From being down on the trackside, the signal was very intermittent. We were unsure what was actually getting passed to the control room at the time.'
Sgt Saville's Taser record suggests the trigger was pressed at around the same time that Pc Stockdale said she could see the trains coming.
The inquest heard that Sgt Saville's life support was withdrawn five days after he was injured.
Joanne Saville, the sergeant's wife, read a pen portrait to the inquest, in which she called her husband a 'fantastic' father of two and a compassionate 'big softy' who was also 'logical, measured and calm under pressure'.
She added: 'These qualities made him an excellent police officer but also a great person to have in your life.
'Graham never thought of himself as being brave or a hero. He was a policeman who just got on with what needed to be done.
'He loved this job and the challenges he faced every day. We are immensely proud of everything he's done.'
The inquest continues.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Canadian pilot killed in WW2 mission remembered
A memorial service has been held for a Canadian airman who was shot down over Guernsey 81 years ago. On 5 June 1944, the day before D-Day, Lt John Saville was hit as he lead his squadron in a successful attack on a German radar in occupied Guernsey. Each year a memorial service has been held at the site of the memorial plaque on the Castle Emplacement in St Peter Port. The service was held at 08:30 BST - which is believed to be a similar time to when Lt Saville's plane was struck. The Dean of Guernsey, the Very Rev Tim Barker, led the service. He said "It's so important that we keep remembering and when we stop learning from history we place ourselves in an extremely difficult and vulnerable position." Wreaths were laid at the plaque and the service included a poetry reading from the Bailiff of Guernsey, Sir Richard McMahon. Lt Saville's plane crashed into Havelet Bay and after the safe return of all the other aircrafts in the 439 squadron a search mission was sent to Guernsey - but nothing was found. The wreck of the plane was discovered in the 1970s by local diver Mick Peters and upon further investigation he declared the site a grave in 1982. Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to Memorial service for pilot killed in WW2 mission 'Emotional day' as memorial reunited with family
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rail crossing safety plan welcomed
Network Rail's decision to improve safety at a rail crossing near the England-Wales border has been welcomed by North Shropshire's MP and a couple who live nearby. Colin and Ann Edwards live near the viaduct south of Chirk and said a nearby pedestrian crossing over the line was often busy with walkers. Network Rail described the crossing as "a hot spot for trespassing" and said it had recorded numerous incidents of people spending too long getting from one side to the other. It plans to install a set of warning lights at the crossing in December. Network Rail carried out a study between November and April, which recorded 13 incidents where people spent too long crossing. One involved a "large group of 36 children and three adults", when one of the adults stepped off the crossing and stayed there for more than two minutes. On other occasions, people stopped to talk on their phones and one person was seen standing on the crossing for 17 minutes. Safety at the site is one of the reasons it has decided to object to putting extra trains on the line for a direct service between Wrexham, Shropshire and London. Mrs Edwards believed lights "would be a benefit", but said "it comes down to the person's own common sense." "If you don't come and stand and listen and look both ways, well you're daft aren't you?" Mr Edwards agreed and said the crossing, between Gobowen in Shropshire and Chirk in Wrexham county, regularly saw groups of walkers crossing it, sometimes as many as 20 at a time. Network Rail has said plans to increase the number of trains on the line, to create a direct service between Wrexham and London, would create a situation which was "not tolerable". Helen Morgan, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, had called for safety measures to be installed and said: "If that crossing was in Birmingham, something would have been done about it". Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Network Rail objects to Wrexham to London service Direct rail service plan supported by PM Plans to run new direct rail services to London New direct train from London to Wrexham proposed Network Rail
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Sergeant hit by train after officers were 'mislead'
A police officer was struck by a train after "misleading" information was given to officers trying to help a vulnerable man on a railway line, an inquest has heard. Sgt Graham Saville was hit after he was deployed to the railway line near Newark, Nottinghamshire, on 24 August 2023. He survived the impact but died in hospital five days later, a hearing at Nottingham's Council House was told. On Wednesday, the inquest heard officers at the scene were informed Network Rail would be contacted to stop the train, but the call was delayed by five minutes before Sgt Saville was struck. The hearing was told two officers attending the call with Sgt Saville repeatedly told the police dispatcher that the distressed man, referred to in court as Patient C, was near the railway line and had threatened to walk in front of a train. No contact was made with Network Rail to stop the train until 20 seconds before Sgt Saville was struck at 19:08 BST, coroner Laurinda Bower said. Ms Bower said the two officers were told the police control room was "on to" National Rail and had them "ready to go in case" Patient C went on to the tracks, but "the phone had not been picked up". Jack Richardson, who was working as a Nottinghamshire Police dispatcher for the Newark area that evening, told the court the call to stop trains on the line "should have been made sooner". The coroner asked him if the reassurances given to the officers were "misleading", to which the witness replied: "It could be interpreted that way by the officers, yes". Ms Bower said to Mr Richardson: "It seems to me that there was a five minute delay in seeking to make contact with Network Rail, between officers saying he is looking like he [Patient C] is going to go on to the line... then five minutes lapsing before anyone picks up the phone to get on to Network Rail. "It limits the time Network Rail has got to take any effective action." The witness said: "I was not aware that we should be calling Network Rail prior to that. It was my understanding that a call should be made when someone enters a rail network." Mr Richardson agreed it was "obvious" that it would take more than a few seconds to stop a train moving at a speed of up to 125mph. He added: "That call should have been made sooner. Given the new training that's been brought in, Network Rail should be advised, informed, as soon as there is a first mention of someone heading towards the railway network." The inquest had previously heard Patient C had called East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) to say he had overdosed on caffeine and he was was walking towards the railway line, near Hollowdyke Lane in Balderton, with the intention of harming himself. The hearing had been told Patient C had a history of "fighting with police" and Sgt Saville had attended because he was trained to use a Taser. The hearing continues. Additional reporting by Dan Martin If you have been affected by the contents of the article, support is available through the BBC Action Line website. Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Train hit officer just before 'stay off' line order Officer hit by train after being called to help man HM Courts and Tribunals Service
