A Sheffield police officer has been cleared of causing the death of a Manx student.

PC Rodney Craig Mills was driving at nearly twice the speed limit without his flashing lights or sirens when he was in collision with Jamie Haslett in October 2010.

The 19-year-old student from Onchan died at the scene after being hit by the patrol car.

Jamie Haslett was in his second year of a sport and business degree at Sheffield Hallam University when the tragedy happened.

PC Mills was responding to a call he had classed as an emergency in the early hours of the morning and was returning to a police station to get equipment.

Mr Haslett was returning to his student accommodation in Sheffield after a night out drinking with friends when he was struck and thrown a considerable distance through the air. He died at the scene from head injuries.

PC Mills told the court he’d considered the potential risks of travelling to the scene at speed.

This afternoon a jury at Bradford Crown Court took four hours to find the officer not guilty of one count of causing death by careless driving.

PC Mills stopped and went to Mr Haslett after the collision but there was nothing he could do.

Judge Colin Burn praised the Haslett family for the ‘tremendous dignity’ they had shown throughout the trial.