Scotland's first female chief constable denies causing head-on crash

Norma Graham: Senior officer is due to retire in August.

The chief constable of Fife Constabulary is to stand trial after she denied causing a head-on car crash which left another woman injured.

Norma Graham, Scotland's first ever female chief constable, was involved in a collision on February 7 as she drove to work at Fife Constabulary HQ in Glenrothes.

She and another motorist, Hannah Shedden, were taken to hospital following the smash on the B922 Cluny to Kinglassie Road.

Her unmarked, dark blue Audi Quattro car and the other motorist's Renault Clio were both badly damaged in the smash.

Now Ms Graham, 49, who earns £120,000 a year and is set to retire later this year, faces a charge of careless driving over the incident.

It is thought this is the first time in Scottish legal history that a chief constable has been cited to appear in court as an accused person.

Her case called for the third time on Tuesday but she did not appear in court.

It had earlier been continued without a plea being entered twice, with lawyers saying they needed time to complete "investigations" into the case.

Her solicitor, Sally McKenzie, told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court that Ms Graham denied the charge of driving without due care and attention, brought on summary complaint.

She said: "I appear - she tenders a plea of not guilty."

The charge against Miss Graham alleges that on February 7 on the B922 Cluny to Kinglassie Road that she drove her 2009 Audi Quattro without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road. It is alleged that chief constable Graham failed to keep the vehicle under proper control and caused it to collide with Miss Shedden's Renault Clio.

Prosecutors say that as a result both vehicles were damaged and both chief constable Graham and Hannah Shedden were injured.

Procurator fiscal depute Claire Millar said: "I ask that the usual dates be fixed."

Sheriff Richard Macfarlane set a trial date in December, and ordered Ms Graham to appear at a pre-trial hearing in November.

A spokesman for Fife Constabulary declined to comment on the case.

Chief Constable Graham joined Lothian and Borders Police as a cadet in 1978 aged 16. She later rose to the rank of detective chief superintendent in charge of criminal investigation. During the early part of her career she undertook a number of uniformed and specialist roles including head of the force's drug squad.

In April she unexpectedly announced that she was to retire in August.

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