Ex-cop Lachlan Chancellor avoids jail over fatal crash

A former police officer was handed a suspended sentence over the crash that killed Canberra woman Amanda Beehag as her family called for systemic change within ACT Police to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.

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A former ACT Police officer who killed a woman when he T-boned her car at a Kaleen intersection has avoided jail as her family made an impassioned plea for lessons to be learnt from the tragedy.

Lachlan Chancellor was handed a suspended prison sentence of four months and seven days after being convicted of negligent driving causing death at ACT Supreme Court on Thursday.

In sentencing, Justice David Mossop said Mr Chancellor demonstrated a “high degree of negligence while travelling in excess of the speed limit and contrary to a red light” when he crashed into Amanda Beehag’s car at the intersection of Maribyrnong Ave and Baldwin Dr on May 4, 2018.

Crash victim Amanda Beehag.

Justice Mossop did not accept the condition of the vehicle being driven by Mr Chancellor, which had three bald tyres and worn brakes that needed immediate servicing, had contributed to the crash.

Under cross examination on Tuesday, Mr Chancellor gave damning evidence about the condition of the police vehicle fleet at Belconnen station.

He told the court the only two cars available to him to respond to a priority one incident, when the fatal crash occurred, were both defective.

He had returned the first car to the station before picking up the second one, which was involved in the crash.

An assessment later revealed the issue with the tyres and brakes.

But Justice Mossop said he did not accept the condition of the vehicle was relevant as an assessment had concluded its general mechanical condition was “fair”.

Former ACT police officer Lachlan Chancellor leaves court after being handed a suspended sentence, meaning he won’t spend time behind bars.

“There was nothing to indicate any mechanical failure that would have contributed to the collision,” Justice Mossop said.

“There is nothing in the agreed facts that indicated that the worn state of the vehicle’s tyres contributed to the collision.

“It is not possible based on the oral evidence given by the offender or other material before me to conclude on the balance of probabilities that the state of the tyres was causally relevant to the occurrence of the collision.

“Fundamentally, the risk of collision was created by the offender when he entered the intersection contrary to the red light at speed.”

Furthermore, his failure to use his warning siren on approach reduced the likelihood that his approach would be detected by Ms Beehag.

He said an inquest into Ms Beehag’s death would be the best forum for any systemic policing issues that led to the crash to be canvassed.

Amanda’s brother Richard Beehag will be demanding systemic change within ACT Police to ensure the tragedy is not repeated.

He accepted Mr Chancellor had not only lost his career but the community had lost a dedicated officer who “would have gone on to have an outstanding federal police career”.

Ten references tendered by current and former AFP officers described him as someone of exceptionally good character, kind, diligent, hardworking, a skilled investigator and a role model to junior staff.

Mr Chancellor also told the court he did not believe that fateful call out justified the priority one status, and would not have attended if he had known it was related to a suspicious person lurking around a building site in Bruce.

Outside court, Ms Beehag’s brother Richard said the family held “no ill feelings” towards Mr Chancellor but wanted lessons to be learnt so her death not be in vain.

Amanda Beehag devoted her life to helping people through sport.

Mr Beehag said he would be writing to the ACT Police’s top brass demanding to know what steps would be taken so another family does not have to face losing a loved one in similar circumstances.

“This is a tragic accident that should never have occurred,” Mr Beehag said.

“Mr Chancellor made some bad decisions on the night and it cost my sister’s life.

“Mr chancellor made a whole bunch of a decisions in an evening in a moment that weren’t great but in hindsight … we all make bad decisions.

“If there’s something that can be gained we hope the police can properly enforce the rules and regulations that prevents such driving under such conditions so that others in the Canberra community might not suffer the same outcome.

“The tragedy of this situation is it might happen to other people.”

Crash victim Amanda Beehag

Ms Beehag was a general manager of sport development at Special Olympics Australia and a sports operations officer at the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.

“Everybody misses her terribly and a lot of people were touched she made their lives better through sport, and that’s going to be missed and can’t be replaced,” he said.

On Tuesday, Mr Chancellor offered a heartfelt apology to her family.

“I don’t even know how to begin to apologise for this and the pain it’s caused you and your family,” he said.

“As a result of my actions as a police officer I will keep trying to make up for it and I know it’s a lifelong thing but I’m so terribly sorry.”

He said he had resigned from the force because he did not want to be “a burden” to the community.