Police officer who fatally hit motorcyclist in pursuit acquitted of manslaughter

A NSW police officer who fatally hit a motorcyclist in a pursuit has been found not guilty of manslaughter.

Matthew James Kelly had pleaded not guilty to the charges and also faced an alternative charge of dangerous driving resulting in death.

A NSW District Court jury on Friday found him not guilty on both counts after deliberating for around two and a half hours over two days.

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However, prosecutors have filed a motion to try Kelly for negligent driving resulting in death using the same evidence.

The police officer will appear again before Judge Penelope Hock for a hearing in the same court on April 4 to face the new charges.

The trial revealed that Kelly was driving a NSW Police Kia Sorrento in the early hours of April 16, 2020 while chasing Jack Roberts.

The 28-year-old was riding an unregistered Honda trail bike up the Pacific Motorway in Blue Haven on the Central Coast before the two vehicles collided.

Roberts died at the scene.

Supporters of both parties left the courtroom in tears on Friday.