Prime Minister’s tribute after PC killed in crash
Theresa May and Thames Valley Police Chief lead mourning of officer and 91-year-old woman who died in Hare Hatch crash on Tuesday •
THE PRIME Minister has led tributes to a police officer who was killed while on-duty in Hare Hatch on Tuesday.
PC James Dixon was killed when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car near Blakes Lane shortly before 2pm.
A 91-year-old passenger of the car was also killed, while another woman suffered serious injuries.
The Prime Minister Theresa May, who is MP for Hare Hatch and lives nearby in Sonning, opened Prime Minister’s questions on Wednesday with a tribute to the police officer.
Addressing the House of Commons, she said: “I’m sure the whole house will wish to join me in offering condolences to the friends, family and colleagues of police officer James Dixon from Thames Valley Police who was killed while on motorcycle duty yesterday and also to the family and friends of the passenger of the car involved in the collision.”
PC Dixon was stationed at Loddon Valley Police Station in Lower Earley, and was featured on the Sky TV programme Road Wars.
He married his wife Samantha last year, and the couple were expecting their first child in the new year.
Flags at stations across the Thames Valley Police (TVP) region will be flown at half-mast for the next week as a mark of respect.
TVP’s Chief Constable Francis Habgood paid tribute to the ‘hugely respected’ officer, and thanked members of the public and the wider policing community for their messages of condolence.
He said: “My officers, staff and I were devastated to hear the very sad news about our colleague PC James Dixon, aged 39 and the 91-year-old woman who died as a result of a road collision yesterday [Tuesday].
“James was a hugely respected officer, serving with the force for 18 years in a variety of roles including in Local Policing, Roads Policing and Force Intelligence and Specialist Operations.
“In policing we often talk about the strength and importance of the police family and that is never more so as we share in the pain of loss and offer support to one another at this time of need.
“We have received countless messages of support from other forces and our emergency service partners, demonstrating that our policing and emergency services’ family extends far beyond our own borders.
“I also extend our thanks to our communities and other agencies for the many messages of condolences we have received.
“Our thoughts remain with PC Dixon’s family and friends, as well as those of the 91-year-old woman, at this very difficult time.”