Damilola Taylor killer jailed for driving into police woman

One of the men who killed schoolboy Damilola Taylor has been jailed after hitting a female police officer with his car.

Ricky Preddie was 13 and his brother Danny 12 when they killed 10-year-old Damilola on his way home from a south London library in November 2000.

The pair were jailed for eight years for the school boy’s manslaughter in 2006.

Ricky Preddie, 32, also known as Ricky Johnson, is now back behind bars after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.

At Harrow Crown Court on Thursday, he was sentenced to four years in prison and banned from driving for 12 years upon his release from jail.

He was driving an Alfa Romeo in Wembley, north London, when police tried to stop his car on the afternoon of November 6 last year.

Preddie stopped the car but reversed along the pavement before crashing into a police vehicle, causing leg and neck injuries to a Pc who was getting out.

He made his escape but the car was found nearby shortly after and he was arrested on November 12.

Detective Superintendent Ray Keating said: “In escaping from officers who had pulled him over, Johnson’s driving was extremely reckless and resulted in an officer being seriously injured.

“He then drove off from the scene, callously leaving the officer needing urgent medical attention.

“The officer has since returned to full duties, and I would like to commend her courage and strength since the incident.

“While she has recovered physically, the incident has taken an emotional and psychological toll.

“Sadly, officers are injured whilst protecting the public far too often.”

Damilola had moved to Britain from Nigeria a few months before he was jabbed in the thigh with a broken beer bottle by a gang of youths as he walked home after school.

The youngster was found bleeding to death in a stairwell near his home in Peckham where local workmen tried to save his life.

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