A 19-year-old man has been jailed after he drove through a red light and struck a three-year-old girl with his moped.

Raaid Ressaf, of Medway Gardens in Wembley seriously injured the child on June 8.

Police were called at around 6.30pm to reports of a collision on The Vale, at the junction with Bromyard Avenue in Acton.

Ressaf stopped at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of drugs.

Detectives established that the incident occurred as the girl and her family were crossing the street at a pedestrian crossing while other vehicles waited at the red light.

Ressaf overtook the stationary vehicles and collided with the victim who was found unconscious, with head and chest injuries.

London’s Air Ambulance placed the young girl in an induced coma before transporting her to St Mary’s Hospital where she had a CT scan and then went into surgery.

The victim, who is now aged four, is back home but has life-changing injuries.

Ressaf bought the moped the day before the collision. He had a provisional licence but it had been revoked just over a week earlier, on May 28.

Ressaf was charged on June 10 and convicted on December 20 at Isleworth Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving over the prescribed limit with cannabis, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years’ imprisonment and will be disqualified from driving for 21 months after he is released from prison.

The 19-year-old must pass an extended driving test when he is eligible to drive again.

Det Cons Davina Nash, from the Met’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said Ressaf's "dangerous actions turned the "family's life upside down and caused them agonising pain and worry".

"Thankfully [the victim] pulled through," the detective added.

"But she has been left with life-changing injuries and still requires a lot of care, all because of Ressaf’s irresponsible driving.

“I hope Ressaf’s sentencing makes people think twice before driving recklessly and going through red lights."