Yahoo News Man charged with attempted murder after ‘stealing police car and running over officer’ in Birmingham
A man has appeared in court charged with attempting to murder a police officer who was run over while trying to stop a suspected car theft.
Mubashar Hussain is accused of the attempted killing of 42-year-old traffic officer PC Gareth Phillips in an incident in Moorcroft Road, Birmingham, at about 4.45pm on Saturday.
The 29-year-old, previously of Sherwood Road, Hall Green, appeared in the dock of Birmingham Magistrates' Court flanked by security officers.
He is charged with a total of 13 offences. He spoke only to confirm his name, age and address. There was no application for bail. His case was sent to the Birmingham Crown Court on September 9.
Hussain also faces charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, a separate count of dangerous driving, wounding another officer who suffered a cut arm, four counts of assaulting other officers, driving while disqualified, motoring offences and two car thefts.
The officer had attempted to pull over a suspected stolen Range Rover on Saturday.
He was "violently assaulted and punched to the ground" before being reversed into and run over.
He was taken to hospital in critical condition and, although his injuries are no longer life-threatening, West Midlands Police say they could be life-changing.
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The married 42-year-old suffered a broken pelvis as well as head, abdominal and other internal injuries and underwent surgery on Saturday and Sunday.
Pc Phillips, who was run over while trying to stop a suspected car theft, faces a "long battle to recover".
In a statement issued by the force, Pc Phillips' family said: "We are grateful for all the messages of support that we've had from the police and members of the public.
"Gareth is still very poorly and faces a long battle to recover. What happened on Saturday demonstrates the dangers that officers face every day. We'd ask for people to respect our privacy now while we as a family support Gareth over the weeks and months ahead."
A second man, 24-year-old Ahsan Ghafoor, of Fulham Road in Sparkhill, has been charged with the same two car thefts, plus dangerous driving and other motoring offences. He will also appear in court on Monday.
The second car theft relates to another Range Rover reportedly stolen in Birmingham on Friday.
Messages of support for the officer have flooded in on social media.
West Midlands Police Supt Tom Joyce, said: "The messages from the public have been really uplifting; it's times like these that hit home to people what a challenging role policing can be and that officers across the country are putting themselves on the line every day to protect the public.
"Working in policing and helping people in need is a hugely rewarding job but it comes with it inherent risks.
"Everyone at West Midlands Police is hoping the officer makes a full and swift recovery and our thoughts are with him and his family."
