PROSECUTORS will decide whether to start criminal proceedings against a police officer who was driving an emergency response car when it was involved in a smash in Colchester.

Essex Police confirmed it has handed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service about the collision in Barrack Street earlier this year.

The police constable was driving a Ford Focus estate car - which was responding to an emergency call - when it collided with a Mazda MX5 near the junction with Victor Road.

The impact sent the sports car veering into the corner of a house, which had to be propped up amid fears part of it would collapse.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “The police driver has been interviewed and papers have been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service.”

He added the officer is continuing to work for the constabulary but that he has had his driving permit suspended since the February 18 collision.

Witnesses said the Mazda was turning right into Victor Road when the collision happened. The sports car ploughed through a brick wall and into the corner of a house.

No-one was seriously injured in the collision. The female driver of the Mazda - believed to be in her 30s - suffered a bump on the head but was not taken to hospital. There were two police officers in the Ford Focus estate car, one of whom was taken to hospital with a hand injury.

Tenant Mark Melegh said he was upstairs when the car ploughed into the side of his house, tearing chunks of plaster off the wall.

Mr Melegh, speaking just hours after the incident, added: “We heard the police car coming with sirens and we heard a crash with a car and a small bang into the house, it was shaking a bit.

“We saw the lady in the vehicle and she was there shaking her head. The police officers got out and they tried to calm here down.”