Hero sergeant’s widow ‘desperate for information’ as inquest delayed
HE WAS HIT BY A TRAIN AS HE TRIED TO SAVE ANOTHER MAN
THE wife of a Nottinghamshire Police sergeant who died in the line of duty is said to be “desperate for information” as a coroner prepares to examine his death.
Sergeant Graham Saville was hit by a train near Newark on August 24 in 2023 and later died at the Queen’s Medical Centre.
The response officer, based at Newark police station, was trying to save another man when he was hit by the train in Balderton. A preinquest review hearing was held at the Council House in Nottingham yesterday, in which Laurinda Bower was due to decide whether or not she should hold her next hearing in July as intended, or suspend the inquest to allow the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to complete their own investigation.
Despite having been given notice of Thursday’s hearing, the HSE inspector attending virtually was unable to give a concrete timeline for when their investigation would finish. Miss Bower said to the HSE inspector: “This all seems a little woolly.”
When told that there was no concrete timeframe beyond the fact that the HSE aims to have completed such investigations within a year, Miss Bower added: “This is most unsatisfactory. How am I supposed to go about this?”
Nicholas Walker, representing Sergeant Saville’s wife Joanne at the hearing, said of the HSE: “They don’t seem to have any urgency and what they don’t appreciate from Mrs Saville’s perspective... [she] is desperate for information.” Mr Walker added later in the hearing: “All she wants is information.”
Miss Bower said that the HSE needed to give her a timeframe for their investigation within seven days before she makes a judgement on whether the inquest needs suspending. The coroner added towards the beginning of the hearing: “Delay is the enemy of justice.”
Joanne Saville previously paid tribute to her husband in a statement which said: “Graham was a wonderful man. He was laid back, funny, silly and adventurous – he lived life to the full. He loved his job and joined the police to make a difference. Ultimately his desire to help others has led to him making the ultimate sacrifice. The outpouring of love from all those who knew him is testament to the amazing person he was.”