Officer guilty of careless driving

A Fife constable who drove up a cycle path in pursuit of a schoolboy and knocked him off his bike has been given three points on her licence.

After days of evidence, PC Kayleigh Simpson was told her failure to keep a safe distance behind the teenager’s bike was careless, not dangerous.

PC Simpson had been behind the wheel of a Peugeot 308 police car in Glenrothes when she was radioed to look for domestic abuser Kevin Spratley, whose car and “kill kit” had been found abandoned.

The 33-year-old spotted a cyclist, presumed it was him and gave chase.

When she activated blue lights, the boy failed to stop and pulled on to a cycle path near Auchmuty High School.

Then aged 15 – and unable to be named for legal reasons – the boy told the trial Simpson was using “fear tactics”, following him on to the path where she “rammed him”.

Simpson told the trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court she stayed behind the cyclist in first gear, reaching no more than five to 10mph and moved to the right side of the path to deter him from taking an exit which would mean losing sight of him.

Following a dangerous driving trial which began in May, Simpson was convicted of the lesser offence.

Sheriff Alison Mckay found her guilty of driving without due care and attention.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the outcome of the court. A report will be submitted to the deputy chief constable.”

PC Kayleigh Simpson.