Jailed death crash police officer to be freed

A police officer who crashed into a motorbike while on a callout, killing a woman, will be released from prison after appeal judges reduced his jail sentence.

Mark Roberts was answering an emergency call about a choking baby when he drove through a red light at speed and struck Ronald and Muriel Pinkney's motorbike near the Metrocentre in Gateshead in July 2022.

Roberts, from Darlington, was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and jailed for 27 months in April, but the victim's family said they "did not want him to go to prison for doing his job".

At the Court of Appeal in London, judges have ruled his original 27-month sentence should be reduced and suspended.

Roberts struck the couple's bike in his marked Northumbria Police car at the junction between a slip road to the A1 and Dunston Road, Teesside Crown Court previously heard.

He was also convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving to Ronald Pinkney, who suffered a bleed on the brain and multiple fractures.

In written submissions for the appeal, Roberts' barrister Luke Ponte KC said the sentence was "manifestly excessive" and the trial judge did not "reflect the exceptional mitigation", including that he was responding to an emergency and had a "lifetime of remarkable public service".

The court was told there is no real risk Roberts would reoffend and that custody had a significant impact on his family, including his disabled daughter.

Lady Justice Andrews said it was an "exceptional case" and "not a case of prolonged dangerous driving".

The three appeal judges quashed the original sentence and imposed a two-year jail term, suspended for 18 months.

Roberts, who appeared at the hearing by video-link from prison, appeared emotional and could be seen wiping his eyes as the judges gave their decision.

At Roberts' original sentencing, Mr and Mrs Pinkney's daughter said the family "don't blame the officer for what happened" and said they did not want Roberts to be imprisoned.

In a victim impact statement read during the sentencing hearing, Dawn Hunter-Pinkney said: "For a long time we were angry but the more we hear about why the officer was driving the way he was, the more we understand."

Roberts was dismissed from the force following a hearing in April where there was a finding of gross misconduct.

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