Cop feared he would be run over and killed

A police officer told a court he believed he would be run over and killed by a driver who refused to stop.

PC Matthew Richardson said he also feared for colleague PC Melanie Rabot after she was left lying unconscious in the road during the terrifying incident.

The pair were on duty with two colleagues in Penge, southeast London, when they were told about a suspected drug deal involving a black VW Passat.

Driver Harry Mackenney, 33, allegedly revved the engine and pulled away as PC Richardson tried to handcuff him and PC Rabot leant in through the front passenger door.

PC Richardson was thrown from the motor and thought he would be run over while PC Rabot fell was left lying in the road unconscious, the Old Bailey heard.

Mackenney denies two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving.

Prosecutor Philip Stott said the four officers were on patrol in a police minibus on Avenue Road, Penge, when they spotted the Passat on 22 February 2020.

The driver of the minibus move to the opposite side of the road and put on the blue lights to prevent the Passat passing them.

‘The police officers got out of the minibus. PC Richardson approached the driver’s side door of the Passat and opened it to speak to the driver, this defendant Harry Mackenney.

‘The car engine was still running. Mr Mackenney tried to pull his door shut. PC Richardson stood in the way of the open door to prevent it being shut.

‘PC Richardson took his handcuffs and put one of them on Mr Mackenney’s right wrist.

‘PC Richardson explained that they had information justifying the stop and that he was detaining Mr Mackenney under the Misuse of Drugs Act in order to search him.’

Mr Mackenney replied ‘f–k off mate, get off me, I’m f–king working man, get off me’.

Mr Stott said: ‘PC Richardson told him to take his seatbelt off and get out of the car. Mr Mackenney refused.

‘This refusal quickly escalated to a struggle, with PC Richardson asking for assistance from the other officers involved.

‘Meanwhile, PC Rabot had gone round to the passenger door. She heard the defendant refusing to comply and so opened the passenger door to assist.

‘She leaned into the car in an attempt to undo Mr Mackenney’s seatbelt. She saw Mr Mackenney put his left hand onto the gearstick and try to rev the car’s engine.

‘She tried to stop him putting the car in gear but was not strong enough to stop him moving the gearstick.

‘She shouted for PC Richardson to remove the key. Unfortunately this was a keyless ignition car, and so there was no key in the conventional sense which he could remove.

‘Mr Mackenney, then, with PC Rabot leaning into the passenger side and PC Richardson with one of his handcuffs on his wrists, drove the car forward.’

In footage played to court, PC Rabot was heard screaming as the car drove off, whilst Mackenney said ‘get out of the f–king car now.’

Mr Stott said: ‘PC Richardson was struck by the car as it drove away. PC Rabot was still leaning inside it. She was pulled forward.

‘She had to pull her legs into the car to stop her falling out. She remembers Mr Mackenney swerving the car at speed. She was shouting at him to stop the car.

‘He responded by shouting “if you don’t get out of the f–ing car, I’ll kill you.’

‘The car slowed, and Mr Mackenney continued to shout “get out” at PC Rabot.

‘As he slowed the car, he pushed her in the chest hard enough that it caused her to fall from the vehicle as it was still moving.

‘At this point, I should tell you, she feared for her life.

‘She fell from the car and was briefly knocked unconscious. Without stopping to see what had happened to the woman he had just pushed out of his car whilst moving, Mackenney drove away at speed.

‘Other officers rushed to assist PC Rabot, who was lying motionless in the road.

‘Both officers were eventually taken to hospital where they were both found, fortunately you may think, to have only cuts and bruises.’

Giving evidence PC Richardson said he punched Mackenney in the face twice as he was ‘trapped inside the driver’s door and believed [he] was going to get seriously hurt.’

‘I was knocked over as I had nowhere to go. As the car moved forward I was knocked over onto my back,’ replied the officer.

‘What happened to your legs?’ asked the prosecutor

‘So, I was thrown on the floor on my back my legs were centimetres away from being run over by the vehicle,’ PC Richardson said

‘At this point what were you thinking?’ Mr Stott said

‘I genuinely believed I was going to be run over and I thought I was going to die or seriously injured,’ PC Richardson said.

‘You describe being knocked over, how long were you on the floor for?’ asked the prosecutor.

‘I was stunned so I don’t remember how long for, I did an almost weird backward roll’ PC Richardson replied.

‘Before you saw PC Rabot coming out the vehicle did you realise she was still in [the car]?’ Mr Stott asked.

‘I didn’t,’ replied PC Richardson

‘How far away, roughly speaking were you from her leaving the vehicle?’ asked the prosecutor

‘About 15 metres,’ PC Richardson replied

‘What was you assessment of PC Rabot?’ asked Mr Stott.

‘She was unresponsive, I thought she had been killed,’ PC Richardson replied

‘As you looked at her did that assessment change?’ asked Mr Stott.

‘So, I unzipped her vest and fleece as that’s part of our first aid, I checked her breathing, and she was breathing,’ said the officer

‘You described her as unresponsive, did she become responsive?’ asked Mr Stott

‘After about 30 seconds’ replied PC Richardson

Mackenney turned himself in at Lewisham Police Station that night, the court heard.

Mackenney, of Parnham Close, Bromley, denies two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving.

The trial continues.
ends