Police officer dies 14 years after crash put him in vegetative state

Tributes have been paid to a police officer who has died 14 years after a car crash put him in a persistent vegetative state.

John Alcock, 54, was employed on royal protection duties when he was involved in a collision in August 2003 while he was a passenger in a marked police car.

He was left in a persistent vegetative state following the collision as he travelled to Ballater police station.

In media reports yes- terday, his partner, Donna Alcock, who cared for him at home in Aberdeenshire, described him as a “wonderful family man”.

She said: “Sadly we only had three and a half years together before the crash.”

The other vehicle was driven by Marco Bologna from Italy, who later admitted careless driving and was fined £1,000.

A£10milliondamagesaction which was raised on behalf of Mr Alcock was settled for an undisclosed sum in 2008.

Doug Keil, ex-general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said his family had done an “amazing job” caring for him. “I knew John when he joined the police in Aberdeen from the Royal Marine Commandos in 1986.

“He was a very nice, decent lad who got on well with his colleagues. He worked there and in Elgin and Banff as well as in Holland for the Lockerbie trial.

“He was on royalty protection duties when the devastating road accident happened.

“John’s family did an amazing job in looking after him and the wider police family did what it could to assist in that. All of our thoughts are with his loved ones.”