An electric scooter rider who jumped a red light and knocked down a vet, leaving her with a fractured skull, has been spared jail.

Joseph Pedelty, 34, who had previously been banned from the roads for drink-driving, was caught on dash cam footage as vet Raquel Delgado-Calos lay in the road.

The city’s magistrates’ court was told the red light was “very clearly visible”. Ms Delgado-Calo described feeling like she had been “hit by a bus” when Pedelty crashed into her at high speed.

She was left permanently scarred after suffering deep cuts to her head and nose, in addition to skull fractures, following the collision in Portsmouth on January 14 this year.

In a statement, Ms Delgado-Calo said: “We were both walking and pulling suitcases.

“We approached a pedestrian crossing, just as we arrived, the traffic light turned red and a car stopped.

“I turned right and took a step and felt a big impact. The feeling I have now is that it was like a heavy slap in the face.

“I was on the road, thinking I had been hit by a bus. I lifted my arms and legs to make sure I could move. I could feel the blood running down my face and what felt like flesh between my teeth.

“Only then did I realize I had an accident. I was told I was hit by a man riding an electric scooter and he got back on the scooter and drove away.

Pedelty, of Waterlooville, was banned from driving for 18 months and given a community order of the same length after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The court heard he went for a scooter ride to “clear his head”.

Roni Pittman, defending, said he went to police after a media appeal to find the driver of the electric scooter.

“He was keen to come forward,” she said, adding: “He mistakenly did not see the seriousness of the incident at the time.

“When the press appeal went out there, he was shocked and appalled at the injuries this lady sustained. He accepts his actions and this incident.

But speaking via video, prosecutor Giles Fletcher said: “The defendant does not stop when he is on the scooter. He is in an uninsured vehicle.

“He disobeyed a red light that was very clear to see. He did not stop at the scene and caused a serious injury. He disappears.

“You can see the surprise of the victim’s partner.”

Chair of the Magistrates’ Bench Ryan Rutlidge criticized Pedelty for not stopping to check on the welfare of his victim.