Why it matters: The victim, a woman aged in her 30s, sustained a significant brain injury, a fractured spine and lower leg injuries. She will never fully recover from her injuries, and her colleagues say her absence has "left a void that cannot be described."
The details: Carl Horsnell, of Henniker Road, Ipswich, appeared before a crown court judge at Colchester Magistrates' Court on Friday, 6 March, having previously pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Police were called at 07:22 on Thursday, 11 December 2025, to reports of a collision on Burrell Road involving a female pedestrian and a silver BMW 318i. Multiple members of the public reported that the driver had failed to stop.
The pedestrian — later identified as a serving Metropolitan Police officer — was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The court heard that Horsnell had driven from an address in the Chantry area of Ipswich shortly before the collision, returning there just over an hour later. Around 09:00, police received reports of a damaged vehicle parked off Cambridge Drive. Officers attended and arrested Horsnell, who attempted to evade them.
At Martlesham Police Investigation Centre, Horsnell refused a Class A drugs test but consented to a breath test, providing two samples showing 74 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath — more than twice the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.
Local CCTV and dashcam footage submitted by members of the public showed Horsnell travelling in excess of the speed limit, ignoring red lights, and making dangerous overtaking and undertaking manoeuvres. Police also established he had been on a video call at the time of the collision.
In addition to the sentence, Horsnell was disqualified from driving for seven years. He also pleaded guilty to driving without insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, failing to stop after a road accident, driving with excess alcohol, and refusing to provide a sample for a Class A drug test. He denied assaulting a police officer; that charge was left to lie on file.
What they're saying: Police staff investigator Alex Matthews, from the serious collision investigation unit, said: "Horsnell made the conscious decision to drive when over the drink drive limit, in excess of the speed limit and conducting dangerous manoeuvring, all whilst using his mobile phone behind the wheel.
"He has shown a complete disregard for the safety of other road users or members of the public. Most shockingly, after colliding with a pedestrian he failed to stop and made no attempt to offer help or take accountability for his actions.
"He has shown no remorse for the catastrophic injuries he inflicted on the victim, from which she will never recover. Her life, and the lives of her family, friends and colleagues, have been permanently affected.
"I would like to thank all those members of the public who assisted with this investigation, whose help was vital in securing this conviction."
Detective Chief Inspector Anna Deighton of the Metropolitan Police, who leads policing in Central East London, said in her impact statement: "As police officers we are unfortunately used to dealing with death and serious injury and know what we have to do in response. However, all of us have now experienced how different it is when it involves someone that you love and care for. The absence of Tara's laughter, her positivity, and the kind heart she brought into every aspect of her work and relationships has left a void that cannot be described.
"We wish to thank Tara's family for their graciousness in allowing us to be present throughout this period. Tara is so loved by her family and her friends because of the person that she is."
The bottom line: Horsnell was driving drunk, at speed, on his phone and without a licence when he struck Tara and left her for dead. He has been jailed for three years and 10 months and banned from driving for seven years.
