A Tooting woman may make legal history by winning her High Court bid for six-figure damages for the trauma she insists she is suffering after seeing a police motorcyclist die in a tragic road accident.

Elizabeth Fagan, 39, claims her back pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a direct result of the 1996 crash in which PC Roger Franklin was killed.

The mother-of-two, from Topsham Road was travelling behind Graham Goodman and told the court his car hit the motorcycle. At a separate trial Mr Goodman was found to be driving negligently and ordered to pay £300,000 damages to PC Franklin's widow.

But Mrs Fagan believes she too should receive compensation for stress after her car was forced into the kerb.

In a witness statement she said: "No amount of money will give me back peace of mind nor take away the images which haunt me.'' She added she has had counselling and psychiatric help and tried to take her own life.

But defence lawyers said she was not presenting a true picture of her physical or psychiatric state, she had a borderline personality disorder and was motivated by the prospect of compensation.

The case ended on Tuesday but judge Mr Justice Turner has yet to give his judgment.

November 23, 2001 11:00