A POLICE officer who crashed into another motorist when he went through a red light at a junction has been given a suspended jail sentence.

PC Peter Mcall, of Northumbria Police, hit the woman’s car at 74mph in what was a 40mph zone.

Teesside Crown Court how PC Mcall had been responding to a report of a fire at a hotel when the incident occurred in Earlsden Road, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.

The victim was left with seven fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, lacerations to her liver and spleen and a broken knee following the accident on August 18, 2015.

However the woman said she did not wish PC Mcall to lose his liberty or his job with the force, views that The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton said “weighed heavily” in his decision on sentence.

The woman said the impact of the collision had been “truly devastating”.

She was in hospital for three weeks and also bed bound for a long period, now having to use sticks to walk.

PC Mcall, who is from Whitley Bay, admitted causing serious injury as a result of dangerous driving.

He was said to have believed that the lights at the junction were in fact red, but could have mistakenly confused them with lights further down the road which were green.

The 30-year-old said he genuinely believed he was responding to an emergency.

PC Mcall was said to have shown considerable remorse and had penned a letter to the victim.

A police officer for eight years he also received praise from senior officers who gave references, describing him as an honest, caring, reliable individual with a genuine desire to help people.

Judge Bourne-Arton said police officers still had to have regard to the law and had to exercise due care and attention.

He said he could use his discretion to suspend a 15 month jail sentence for two years.

PC Mcall was disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to pay more than £6,000 court costs.

An investigation by independent police watchdog the IPCC found evidence of gross misconduct as a result of PC Mcall's actions and he faces a disciplinary panel hearing as a result.

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said it was also following its own procedures to determine what action it would take against him.