A POLICE officer who knocked down and killed a pedestrian on an emergency call has been named.

PC Richard Harris was behind the wheel when he struck David Ormesher, 79, in Edward Street, Brighton, near the junction with Devonshire Place, at 12.50am on Friday.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has launched a probe into the crash.

The officer’s name was revealed at the opening of an inquest into Mr Ormesher’s death at Brighton and Hove Coroner’s Court yesterday attended by his family.

The court heard the toolmaker from Poole, Dorset, was crossing Edward Street when he was hit by a police car with blue lights travelling to an incident at Brighton Palace Pier.

The officers in the car stopped and began resuscitation and called an ambulance but despite their attempts Mr Ormesher died at the scene at 1.44am.

Consultant pathologist Dr Mark Howard determined the grandfather died from multiple injuries and is awaiting a toxicology report.

Lead IPCC investigator Emma Neil said they were still in the early stages of the their investigation.

Miss Neil said: “We have done house-to-house enquiries, spoken to witnesses and collected some CCTV that does not show the moment of impact.

“There is not a way to extract data from the engine quickly. I have spoken to the commissioner and asked about the cost of doing it independently and not through the police.”

She said it was hard to estimate the speed of the car, as there was not an in-car video camera.

A collisions report is being compiled by Sussex Police Road Traffic Policing Unit, as part of the IPCC investigation.

Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley reassured the family the investigation would remain independent, despite relying on the expertise of police crash investigators.

She said: “This investigation is being run by me the coroner and the IPCC together, so the investigation normally carried out by Sussex Police is invested in me.”

Speaking at the opening, Mr Ormesher’s daughter Nikki Sweeney said he had been at a pub earlier in the evening but she did not know what he was doing at the time he died.

She said: “He didn’t really know Brighton. As a youth he came to Brighton, as it was where his parents met but he had not visited there recently.”

The inquest has been adjourned until January and his body has been released for his funeral.

Sussex Police declined to comment when asked by The Argus if PC Harris had been suspended by the force and about the nature of the call at Brighton Pier. 

A spokesman said: "This is an on-going investigation and we are not prepared to release personal details about those involved.

"With regard to the incident you mention, this will form part of the IPCC's investigation and we are not in a position to comment."

Witnesses are asked to contact the IPCC on 0800 029 4685 or via email at edwardstreetrti@ipcc.gsi. gov.uk