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[Bionic]

You did what anyone with any common sense would have done but like it or not you will probably have to pay the penalty because it is the money that the authority gains from the penalty that governs whetherv you get one. Money rules so be ready for the dreaded letter.....
You can try to explain to the police but in my area it is the Road Safety team that govern the cameras and they will not listen to any excuse at all, whatever it was or justifiable.....

[Clouseau]

The camera may or may not be working, or it may be one of those new fangled things that doesn't flash all the time, doesn't use film & downloads the results straight away to the CTO (as Tigger pointed out). Only thing you can do is stick it out for the 14 days to see if you get a NIP through the post. To be honest speaking to the police about it won't change matters. Its unfortunate but if its got you, its got you. Most forces now though offer you an option to do an awareness course & should you be unlucky enough to get a NIP there's usually information on the 'Red light awareness course and an option to take it. It will probably cost more than the ticket (about £80ish) but you don't get the points (may be worth it if you drive for a living & need to keep em down). The course is only open to you if you've not been done before in the past 3 years for the same offence.

Jason's reply is spot on. The police do not administer these cameras and in all honesty I don't think your explanation would make any difference. Chance is there will not be a digital camera unit in the housing (there are many more housings than cameras due to the cost of the units) - they are rotated around different sites and recently funding has been a challenge for Road Safety Partnerships.

If there was a camera in the unit and it caught you, you will receive a conditional offer of fixed penalty and a Notice of Intended Prosecution within 14 days. In some areas you will be offered the alternative of a driver improvement scheme. Of course you can also decline these and elect to be dealt with by the court. Personally I'd advise against this - I understand that you made a decision to 'floor it' through a red light to avoid possibly being hit by the car behind, but in doing so you put yourself and other motorists at just as much risk, if not more. Keep you fingers crossed and hope that nothing lands on the doormat. Sorry.

[Turk]

Thanks for the input folks. 

Just to clarify, regarding 'flooring it' through the red light, Clouseau is quite right that jumping a red light could have potentially caused a far more serious incedent than a rear end shunt, but in this particular instance I crossed the line as it turned red, so we're talking of a split second difference between 'jumping the red' and having been an 'amber gambler' (neither being best practice). Also, this particular crossroads has quite a steep approach from the left, so not even a champion drag racer with launch control would have crossed my lane from that direction, even if there was no 'safety delay' between the other lights changing. For vehicles approaching from the right there are four lanes to cross before entering my lane. One lane to my right going in my same direction, one to turn right, and the two lanes of on coming traffic. By the time the other light changed to green I would have been through the crossroads and at least 50yds down the road.
Having said that, thank you for the sound advice and input Clouseau. Much appreciated.