A tragic incident involving a police officer on an emergency call resulted in the death of a woman after a collision. Pc Mark Roberts, driving a Northumbria Police vehicle, ran a red light that had been on “stop” for six seconds, crashing into Ronald and Muriel Pinkney’s motorcycle near the MetroCentre in Gateshead in July 2022.
The collision caused fatal head and neck injuries to Mrs. Pinkney, while Mr. Pinkney suffered serious injuries including a brain bleed and multiple fractures. Roberts, a 57-year-old officer, admitted to causing death by careless driving but denied the more severe charge of causing death by dangerous driving. However, after a 56-minute deliberation, the jury at Teesside Crown Court found him guilty.
In addition to the death of Mrs. Pinkney, Roberts was also convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving to Mr. Pinkney. The prosecution argued that Roberts should have approached the junction more cautiously, citing police roadcraft guidance that discourages risk-taking even in emergencies.
Following the verdict, Judge Francis Laird KC granted Roberts bail pending his sentencing on April 7. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the convictions and expressed the need for a detailed pre-sentence report to determine an appropriate punishment.
Roberts, who has been suspended from duty, explained in his statement that he was responding to a call for a choking infant when the collision occurred. He activated his vehicle’s emergency lights and sirens as he navigated through traffic and intersections. Moments before the crash, he mentioned seeing a white van emergency stop, but he claimed he couldn’t see anything else before the collision.
Despite expressing remorse and offering condolences to the Pinkney family, Roberts maintained that the incident was a tragic accident. Mr. Pinkney, who survived the crash, confirmed hearing a police siren but was unaware of Roberts’ presence before the collision.
In the aftermath of the incident, Northumbria Police expressed condolences to the Pinkney family and acknowledged the rare occurrence of such tragedies involving emergency responders. The case was investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, leading to a referral for a misconduct hearing for Roberts due to the driving standard falling below expectations, resulting in devastating consequences.
