The trial of a police officer from Darlington has heard how a fatal crash which claimed the life of a pensioner could have been prevented if he started braking two seconds sooner.
PC Mark Roberts was in a marked Northumbria force vehicle which collided with a motorcycle on Dunston Road, near the Metrocentre, in Gateshead, shortly after 3pm on Friday, July 8, 2022.
Muriel Pinkney, 74, a passenger on the motorbike, died in hospital nine day later from injuries the pensioner sustained in the collision.
Her husband Ronald, 77 at the time, the motorcycle rider, suffered fractures to his leg, hip, and pelvis.
Teesside Crown Court heard how Roberts was on duty in a marked police car that was dispatched to Dunston in support of an ambulance crew.
Sergeant Ian Keenleyside, a forensic collision investigator for Northumbria Police, said the crash could have been prevented if the officer started braking two seconds or 15 metres sooner.
The jury heard how the officer was driving at around 25mph at the time of the collision with the elderly couple’s motorbike.
He said: “There were no road surface defects or contaminants or vehicle defects which could have contributed to the collision occurring.
“The police vehicle was being driven with emergency lighting and sirens activated, passed through two sets of traffic lights which were displaying red immediately before the collision.
“PC Roberts should had treated these traffic lights as a give way.”
He added: “Emergency braking was conducted but the officer was unable to slow the vehicle sufficiently to avoid a collision and impacted at about 25 mph.
Sergeant Richard March, chief driving instructor for Bedfordshire Police, said police officers responding to an emergency do not have an automatic right of way through traffic lights even if they activate their blue lights and siren.
Concluding his evidence, he said: “I would have expected PC Roberts to see the motorcycle and identify that the rider had not reacted to the police presence.
“Having identified there was no reaction, I would have expected him to slow down at red light, give way to let the motorcycle through the junction and when it was clear to go through the junction himself.”
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The jury was told the 57-year-old has previously admitted causing serious injury by careless driving.
Footage from Mr Pinkney's helmet camera, which captured the fatal incident, was shown to the jury.
The Northumbria police officer has denied causing Mrs Pinkney’s death by dangerous driving.
He also denied causing serious injuries to Mr Pinkney by dangerous driving.
The trial, which is expected to last five days, continues.
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