Tayside officer accused of hitting girl with police car
A police officer is to stand trial accused of hitting a seven-year-old girl with a marked police car as she crossed a road in Dundee.
Gary Johnston, a serving officer with Tayside Police, is accused of driving the Ford Focus police car dangerously while on duty on 13 November last year.
It is alleged that he caused the car to collide with a man and his young daughter on Douglas Road.
Sheriff Colin McCrory set a trial date for late November.
Prosecutors say that the smash caused the pair serious injury.
Mr Johnston, 27, whose address was given on court papers as Tayside Police Force Headquarters, did not appear at Dundee Sheriff Court to face the charge against him.
Fiscal depute Donna Davidson said a letter had been received by defence lawyer Gary McIlravey pleading not guilty to the charge.
She said: "I move for a trial and intermediate diet to be set. There are a number of witnesses in this case - 17 in total."
Sheriff Colin McCrory set a trial date for late November, and ordered Johnston to appear for a pre-trial hearing earlier that month.
He said: "It seems like a two-day trial to me, no doubt it will be strongly contested."