IT'S quite right that the case of police officer Christopher Browning was investigated so thoroughly.

A court heard that his driving resulted in prison officer Gordon Bowyer losing control of his motorcycle.

Mr Bowyer later died and Browning was charged with death by dangerous driving, which he denied.

Yesterday the court accepted his plea on the lesser charge of careless driving and he was fined £2,000.

Of course, this was a tragedy for the family of Mr Bowyer.

But, after hearing the facts of the case when there was said to be minimal contact between the car and motorcycle, it seemed that the original charge was too strong.

Browning, the court was told, had failed to look a second time as he exited a garage - a moment of brief inattention.

A momentary lapse of judgement resulted in the loss of life but there was nothing to suggest any recklessness on Browning's part.

However, we believe it right that police and the Crown Prosecution Service took this matter so seriously.

Had Browning gone to court on the careless driving charge many would have been quick to say that the police were looking after one of their own and there would have been accusations of a cover-up.

That won't soften the pain for the family of Mr Bowyer.

But at least they know that the circumstances of his death were subjected to full judicial examination.