In the Times today:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 711901.ece
Police chief uses crash victim images to enforce road safety
Russell Jenkins
Richard Brunstrom, the controversial police chief, flourished a horrific photograph of a decapitated motorcyclist yesterday in a deliberate ploy to shock his audience at a road safety presentation.
The Chief Constable of North Wales has earned a reputation as a hardline scourge of speeding motorists and even admits to an “obsession” with bringing offenders to book.
He made no apology to his largely local government audience before displaying the photograph of the man’s head with his eyes still open and still encased in a red and white helmet lying on a grass verge.
Another showed the man’s torso embedded in the wreckage of a car.
The dead man was wearing a distinctive T-shirt that carried the legend that was aimed at traffic police: “P** off And catch some REAL criminals.” It was made clear to the meeting at St Asaph Park, Denbighshire, that the man’s family had not been made aware that the images would be used in the presentation.
It emerged last night that the picture was of Mark Gibney, 40, a father of three, who was killed when he crashed at 100 mph (160km/h) while riding one of the world’s fastest motor-bikes.
Chief Superintendent Geraint Anwyl, one of Mr Brunstrom’s colleagues, explained to the audience that the head had been torn off through the force of the impact. “His oxygenated brain went flying down the road for 50 metres before he expired. It was horrific, as I am sure you will agree.”
Meanwhile, he said, a young family remained trapped inside the car for 90 minutes.
The audience was also shown a picture of two males, aged 25 and 16, lying dead by the side of a mangled car.
He said that both accidents had been caused by the excessive speed of the dead men.
Mr Brunstrom said: “We did it to serve a purpose. The images are there to make an impact today.” The chief constable remains defiant that his campaign of effectively enforcing zero tolerance against speeding motorists has saved 53 lives since 2001.
He suggested that now his crackdown on speeding had won the support of 70 per cent of he public, it was time to move on to the next stage. This will be softer-edged and with more education and less punishment.
Motorists caught just over the speed limit will be more likely to be offered a £60 speed awareness course as an alternative to a fine.
He also revealed that his force was looking into the possibility of placing speed cameras inside cat’s eyes. He said: We will always be transparent with the public. We may have a sign up for example, saying ‘there are hidden cameras along this road’, but we won’t have a big arrow saying ‘there’s a camera in this cat’s eye’.”
At an inquest into the death of Mr Gibney, it was stated that he had cut the corner on a right-hand bend on a road near Ruthin, North Wales.
He was travelling with five motorcycle companions at the time. One described how he heard the sound of an explosion and saw his friend flying into the air.
John Hughes, the North Wales Central Coroner, described Mr Gibney’s riding as “reprehensible”.
He heard that the motorcyclist had no licence, no insurance and no specialist training for the powerful machine capable of speeds of up to 190 mph.
Mr Gibney was riding a 1,300cc Suzuki Hayabusa when he failed to spot an oncoming Vauxhall Astra in a dip. He collided head-on in a 60 mph zone on the B5105 near Lanfihangel, North Wales, in September 2003.
Mr Gibney, of West Derby, wore a black T-shirt that read: “Hello officer, Yes my car is emarked, Yes my number plate is legal, Yes my tyres have tread, Now p*** off And catch some REAL criminals.”
In February 2004 Mr Brunttrom said that he was prepared to see drugs such as heroin openly on sale because current drug laws were doing “more harm than good”.
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