A policeman today (tue) told of a dramatic high sp

A policeman today (tue) told of a dramatic high speed car chase as he pursued a Rolex robber.

Pc Alan Murray said he sped after a man suspected of mugging Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds.

The officer and his colleague had first become suspicious when the motorist ignored a no entry sign as he patrolled north London.

Pc Murray was on the look out after reports that Mr Reynolds, 64, had been robbed of a pnds stlg 41,000 Rolex watch earlier that evening.

He told London’s Snaresbrook Crown Court: ‘The car accelerated and braked heavily, and I began to follow it.

‘It then turned right.

Knowing this was a dead end I turned my blue flashing lights on and pointed to the nearside kerb indicating for the driver to stop.

‘The car pulled into the left at the dead end.

I pulled alongside it and my colleague got out of the car and moved to the driver’s door.

‘I could see a black male with a cap on.

I could see my colleague knock on the window and shout at the car for the driver to get out.

‘I saw him draw his Asp (baton) and extend it.

He held it behind his legs so the person could not see it.

‘Then I heard the car rev and saw it lurch backwards about two foot.

‘My colleague moved forward and struck the car windscreen several times.

‘As the driver’s window smashed he accelerated backwards.

‘My colleague started to run after the car as I turned my vehicle around.

‘I could see the car reversing.

‘

Pc Murray said he pursued the dark Vauxhall through West Hampstead before allowing a faster police car to take over the chase.

Other officers later arrested Leoul Belete, 22, and Tayo Aladesuyi, 23.

The jury has heard how multi-millionaire Mr Reynolds was mugged by three men after leaving a Chinese restaurant in Hampstead on May 10 this year with his wife Susan, 41, and her 80-year-old mother May Firth.

The gang bundled Mr Reynolds to the ground and tried to yank off his diamond ring before stealing the watch.

The court has heard how another officer Pc Michael Peers filled out a Incident Report Book following the robbery but this has since gone missing.

Belete, of Sheriff Road, and Aladesuyi, of Linstead Street, both west Hampstead, deny robbing from Mr Reynolds and attempting to steal from Mrs Reynolds.

Mr Reynolds sold Direct Worktops Factory in Shildon, Co Durham, for 40 million pounds and is rumoured to have a 235 million pound fortune.

The trial continues.

ends