A motorbike rider has been jailed after he ran a red light, mowing down a pedestrian and killing her.

Lesley Bello-Hernandez, 67, was crossing a road in Cambridge when she was struck by a speeding bike on February 13.

Riding that bike was Jack O’Donnell, aged 25, of Tempsford Avenue, Borehamwood.

He was travelling down King Hedges Road just after 2pm when an unmarked police car pulled up behind him. But O’Donnell drove off at speed – between 34mph and 38mph in the 20mph zone - with his girlfriend.

Police say they never pursued O’Donnell but they followed him down Arbury Road. O’Donnell travelled 800 metres before coming to some temporary roadworks, which had a set of four-way lights.

But O’Donnell ignored the red light at the junction of Campkin Road.

At the same time, Mrs Bello-Hernandez was preparing to cross the road. She had waited for the pedestrian light to turn green and four seconds later, she began crossing.

Then she was hit. She died at the scene.

Following the collision, 26 wraps of class A drugs were recovered from the scene. The drugs – a mixture of cocaine and heroin – had a street value of around £260.

Police arrested O’Donnell. In a police interview, he said he owned the moped but that he didn’t have a license or insurance. He claims he was “shocked” that he had been arrested for death by dangerous driving. He said he was “truly sorry” for what had happened and if he could “turn back time” he would.

His girlfriend was also arrested but no further action was taken against her.

O’Donnell previously pleaded guilty to charges of causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving a vehicle while unlicensed and uninsured, and two charges of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

At Cambridge Crown Court today (Friday), O’Donnell was jailed for eight years and disqualified from driving for nine years.

PC Kevin Drury, who investigated the case, said Mrs Bello-Hernandez’s family had been left “devastated” and there was “absolutely no excuse” for O’Donnell to drive the way he did.