A SPECIAL constable who was involved in a fatal road crash while talking on her mobile phone has resigned.

Collette Carpenter was involved in a conversation with her partner when her Peugeot 206 collided with motorcyclist David Bartholomew.

An inquest this week heard how Miss Carpenter, formerly of Colehill, denied using her phone during the journey but later admitted she had used it throughout the entire journey on loudspeaker, positioned on her lap.

Details of the case were submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service who decided not to prosecute after the collision on the A31 Ferndown bypass on March 20 last year.

They said while evidence showed she was using her phone while driving, there was no evidence she was holding it at the time of the collision. The CPS added there was “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction”.

Yesterday it was revealed that Miss Carpenter, who had continued to work as a volunteer special constable for Dorset Police, had in fact resigned.

In a statement, the force said: “Dorset Police can confirm that the special constable involved in this incident has officially resigned, “We have nothing further to say on the matter.”

The decision not to prosecute Miss Carpenter angered Mr Bartholomew’s children James and Charlotte and his partner Lindsey Witcombe.

Speaking about the resignation, Lindsey said: “We are reassured to hear that Collette Carpenter has resigned from being a special constable with immediate effect.

“We understand her records will be marked and if there is any attempt in the future to gain entry into the force her dishonesty will be flagged up because she has fallen well short of the standards required to maintain public confidence.”

Politician’s letter to attorney general

A DORSET MP says he will be writing to the attorney general about the Carpenter case.

Chris Chope, MP for Christchurch, is to take up the issue of why she was not prosecuted for using a hand-held device while driving.

The legislation states that the use of a hand-held phone or similar hand-held device while driving is prohibited.

It describes a hand-held device as something that “is or must be held at some point during the course of making or receiving a call or performing any other interactive communication function”.

Mr Chope, who is a former roads minister, said: “I would be happy to write to the attorney general about it and will link it to the Daily Echo articles.”

He would ask for an explanation as to “how someone caught committing an offence has not faced prosecution”.