Police officer suffers 'most traumatic event of his life' after going up to man in van

A thug ran over a Greater Manchester Police officer in his van. Police were called to Sale, Trafford, on May 5 after the partner of Kyle Woods reported he had been harassing her.

She said he had been at a property on Beech Road, where she was living with her parents, several times that day. Moments later, Woods, 33, drove onto the cul-de-sac in a white work van.

An officer parked his car at the entrance of Beech Road and approached Woods, Manchester Crown Court heard. He told him to get out of the van.

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"What for?," he asked. The officer replied: "I need to speak with you." Woods wound up his window and turned his van around, towards the officer.

"The officer was heard screaming at the defendant to 'get out' and held up the palm of his hand indicating for him to stop," prosecutor Helena Williams said.

"A neighbour also heard him shout 'stop' twice. The defendant continued to drive the van to make good his escape towards the space between the police car and the pavement."

The officer tried to move out of the way, but was hit by the van. He was heard screaming in pain as the van was driven over him and remained 'motionless' on the floor as Woods drove away.

The cop was rushed to hospital and was left with a fractured leg. Fortunately, he is expected to make a 'near enough full recovery', though he suffers with nerve damage to his knee and sciatica.

The following day, Woods was arrested and interviewed, where he made no comment. Messages on his phone to his partner were then uncovered.

"She told him to hand himself in," Mr Williams said. "The defendant lamented the fact that he could be facing a prison sentence of some length.

"He then blamed her for calling the police in the first place and she said there was no need for him to drive as he had done. He said he hadn't intended to hit the officer, he was merely trying to make off."

The officer described the incident as 'one of the most traumatic events of [his] life'. He said he had been in 'excruciating pain' and suffered sleeplessness, nightmares and flashbacks.

He said he has lost his independence, relying on family members to help him with day-to-day tasks and has been left on desk duty at work.

He added: "This entire incident began by me going about my day-to-day job which I loved and continue to love. The fact this happened to me while in the function of attending a vulnerable person is an ongoing shock. I can't make sense of the decision he has made.

"I prided myself on the ability to provide excellent police service. Response officers have to go from a violent suspect one minute to consoling the loss of a child the next. I feel like I have been robbed of this skill and have to work to regain it."

Woods, who has previous convictions for driving without due care and attention; dangerous driving; and driving while intoxicated apologised in a letter to the court.

Oliver Jarvis, mitigating, said Woods was in 'personal turmoil' at the time due to the premature birth of his second child. "He knows he is going to receive a prison sentence. He accepts that it is his own fault."

Judge John Potter told Woods: "You clearly didn't care whether the officer was caught up and injured by the highly-dangerous manoeuvre you executed.

"You were fortunate not to kill him. Had his upper body been knocked under the wheels of that van rather than his lower body, you may have done so."

Woods, of Wendover Road, Urmston, Trafford, was jailed for six years and four months. Addressing the officer, who sat in the public gallery with support from family and friends, Judge John Potter said: "To have your career cut short or affected as you have by consequence of you simply trying to undertake lawful activity to the public and community is a massive loss.

"I accept that there is little I can actually say which assists you with that loss. I hope the fact that these proceedings have been concluded and a sentence is about to be imposed, will provide some closure so you can move on."

Woods - who previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving; and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to resist arrest - was banned from driving for eight years and two months.