Security guard caught in riots 'accelerated car towards police officer' when told to exit vehicle

A security guard who got caught up in the Middlesbrough riots, refused to stop and "accelerated towards a police officer".

Salim Khan, 23, hit two parked cars at such a speed, his car flipped before landing back on its wheels. Khan had been driving home from work on the evening of August 4, as the riots raged in Middlesbrough, when he said he was racially abused and had objects thrown at his car.

He then saw his cousin, Akheel Khan, running towards him and thought he was being chased.

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Salim Khan let his cousin into his blue Seat on Belk Street, but moments later a police officer opened the driver's door and shouted at him to get out. On Wednesday, Teesside Crown Court heard that Salim Khan ignored the officer, started his ignition and accelerated towards where the officer was standing.

Kashif Ahmad, prosecuting, said that Salim Khan hit two parked cars, and "due to his speed and the impact of the collision, his car flipped - it landed on its wheels."

Salim Khan and his cousin then fled. Akheel Khan, 24, was caught and arrested but Salim Khan managed to get away from police. Akheel Khan was fleeing the police - after he had been captured on CCTV on Park Lane, armed with a hammer.

The court previously heard that Akheel Khan was with a number of Asian men, roaming the streets, "all clearly looking for trouble" after he had found his car had been damaged in the riots. He was jailed for 15 months at a previous hearing.

Salim Khan returned to Belk Street minutes later, and handed himself into the police. He later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and has been held in prison on remand since August 6.

Salim Khan listened to the court on video link from HMP Peterborough. His barrister Andrew Turton told the court that he had finished a 12 hour shift, when he agreed to give a friend a lift. He was subjected to racial abuse and had objects thrown at his car in Middlesbrough.

Mr Turton said: "He allowed his cousin to get in his car as he believed he was being chased. He was trying to leave the area."

Salim Khan said that the person who opened his car door was "all in black," the court heard.

Mr Turton added: "He didn't register it was a police officer and he says he did not drive at a police officer or at anyone - but that he drove off in a panic after the racial abuse. He has never been before the courts before."

The hearing was told Salim Khan lived with his grandparents in Middlesbrough helping to care for them, but since he has been held in prison, his they have returned to Pakistan as they couldn't manage without him. "They will come back when he is released," Mr Turton added. "He's aware of the stupidity of his actions."

Judge Nathan Adams said that there was no evidence that Salim Khan was involved in the riots. "The police officer who attempted to intervene had been under attack in the violent disorder and you contributed to this," the judge said. "There is clear evidence he was in uniform. He did nothing wrong - the police were trying to control the chaotic scenes around them."

Khan, of Newlands Road in central Middlesbrough, was jailed for nine months - but he was told that he will serve 40% of his prison term. "Once your time on remand is deducted" the judge told him, "you'll be released next week." He was disqualified from driving for 12-months.

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