Police officer accused of causing woman's broken leg by driving dangerously at traffic lights

Armed officer Pc Dean Dobson was at the wheel of an unmarked BMW X5 travelling at high speed in a 30mph zone that smashed into the side of an Hyundai at the junction of Penn Road and Rookery Lane in Penn. Hyundai driver Chantel Jassi suffered a broken leg among other injuries as a result.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard the Staffordshire Police officer was responding to a firearms incident in Wombourne on April 7 last year when the collision happened at about 11.45pm.

The serving officer, aged 34, who is based in Stafford, denies an offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Prosecuting counsel Mr William Dudley said checks of the car's restraint control system or 'black box' showed Dobson had been driving at speeds of up to 83mph along Penn Road slowing to 55mph on the approach the Rookery Lane and Stubbs Road junction.

Mr Dudley told the jury: "There is one word that you need to consider and that is 'dangerous' The only issue for you is likely to be whether this defendant drove dangerously.

"There is no dispute that the defendant was driving a mechanical vehicle and that was a BMW on Penn Road. There is no dispute that a lady was injured."

Mr Dudley said the crash victim was on her way to picking up her mother from a relative's house and was crossing on green towards Stubbs Road when she "suddenly became aware of a blue flash at her side and immediately heard a big bang".

He said Dobson had slowed to 55mph in the five seconds before the collision.

"The safety speed through red lights was four mph. That is a big difference between that and 83mph. Four mph gives enough time to react and see other cars in the area.

"The question for you is whether the defendant driving through those lights on red was dangerous. It is likely to be the case that he will say that he made a mistake as he was looking at a green light further along and didn't notice the red lights.

"Even if the officer made a mistake that mistake was still dangerous. The prosecution say even if that is what he did, it was still dangerous," Mr Dudley said.

Giving evidence expert witness Pc Kevin Storey, of West Midlands Police Forensic Collision Investigation Team, said a CCTV camera near the scene showed that the lights were on red for 20 seconds prior to the crash and that Dobson would have seen it as he approached.

The court heard Dobson and colleague Christopher Murcott were following a 45-mile route from Uttoxeter along the A50, A5 and A449 towards Wombourne on the Wolverhampton-Staffordshire border.

Dobson denies the allegations. The trial continues.