Burglar who rammed police officer against lamppost jailed for 12 years

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/27/burglar-jailed-for-ramming-police-officer

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A prolific burglar who used his car to crush a police officer against a lamppost in a desperate escape bid has been jailed for 12 years.

Carl Anderson, 50, reversed his car across a road at up to 35mph, engine "screaming" and tyres "screeching", as PC Peter McGinn clung to the driver's side door trying to grab the keys.

Judge Melbourne Inman QC, sentencing at Birmingham crown court, told Anderson: "You deliberately reversed the car at speed such that the open door was smashed against a lamppost with such force it broke the hinges and folded the door back against the car. Between that door and the lamppost was PC McGinn."

Anderson – who had previously admitted grievous bodily harm with intent to wound, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and burglary – pleaded guilty to driving while being disqualified as he was banned from the wheel at the time of the offence.

McGinn was left with a shattered left leg and needed lengthy surgery to pin and repair his broken bones. He has been left in constant pain and needed crutches to get to Friday's the hearing.

Robert Price, prosecuting, said the incident happened after Anderson had been spotted breaking in to a shed in Erdington, Birmingham, on 7 June.

Officers at the scene described the car's engine "screaming" and its tyres "screeching" as it "arced across the road towards a lamppost", said Price.

As the Honda Stream shot across the road, 44-year-old McGinn clung with one hand to Anderson's shoulder, desperately trying to run in time with the car's motion "while struggling to stop the vehicle".

He described Anderson looking "steely and determined" as he accelerated.

However, despite the officer's efforts the car slammed into the post with such force another policeman watching the incident believed his colleague had been killed.

McGinn's left leg took the brunt of the impact and was crushed – a moment he described as causing "immediate and excruciating pain", according to Price.

As he lay injured, Anderson sped off, forcing another police officer to jump aside, then dodged a riot van which attempted to ram his car in order to stop his escape. In nearby Minstead Road, another patrol car had to swerve away "to avoid a head-on collision" Price said. Anderson later abandoned his damaged car and got away on foot, but was later traced to his home and arrested.

Price said Anderson had "used his car as a weapon" and "deliberately targeted his victim".

In mitigation, Sharon Bailey said her client had gone out to steal that day because he needed money to pay gas and electricity bills. Although Anderson, of Osbourne Close, Aston, had a "lengthy record of offending", Bailey said he had never before committed such a serious crime. When confronted with what happened that day he simply "panicked", she added. Anderson, sitting in the dock wearing a grey shirt, dabbed tears from his eyes.

McGinn said his life had been shattered by the incident. In evidence he said the crash had placed a heavy burden on his wife, who works full-time and also helps care for their disabled daughter, and he is unable to wash or dress unaided.

McGinn said the long-term impact on his health could not be predicted but he had suffered nerve and tendon damage, had only 50% movement in his left knee, and now needed to take medication to clear potentially lethal blood clots.

Despite this, the officer said it was his wish to return to the ranks of West Midlands police, where he has served for 11 years.

Judge Inman, passing sentence, told Anderson: "The reality, of course, is that the genesis of all of what happened on that day was because you were out doing what you do – burgling people. It is plain you used your vehicle as a weapon, quite deliberately, and caused very serious injury.

He sentenced Anderson to 12 years in jail for GBH, and further imposed concurrent sentences of two years for burglary, 18 months for dangerous driving and four months for driving while disqualified. He was also banned from driving for a further nine years, while there was no separate penalty for driving without insurance.

The judge took 12 other offences – nine of house burglary and three shed burglaries – into consideration.

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