Officer had to dive out of way of car

A DANGEROUS driver nearly crushed a policeman with his car while trying to escape.

Umaar Bashir, 28, fled from police after being stopped in Victoria Crescent, Burton.

In his bid to escape, he squeezed his black BMW through a gap between two cars. But a police officer was walking through the gap at the time and had to throw himself aside to avoid being crushed.

Bashir, of Byrkley Street, Burton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Derby Crown Court.

Richard Gibbs, prosecuting, said the incident happened on September 25, 2018, when police stopped Bashir in a black BMW at the junction of Dallow Street and Waterloo Street.

The incident was recorded on dashcam, which showed an officer moving over to the stopped car. But Bashir then sped away, almost wedging the officer in between two cars as a result.

Mr Gibbs said: “He clearly put the officer in a position of high risk by the manner that he drove.”

Police tried to give chase, but lost Bashir until a member of the public saw him abandoning his car after he hit a parked car in nearby Ward Street. The car had cash and drugs in the glove compartment.

The court heard how Bashir had convictions for five previous offences since 2016. These included drug-driving, battery and failing to comply with a community order.

Judge Robert Egbuna handed Bashir a 12-month community order with a curfew from 9.30pm to 6.30am. He is also disqualified from driving for 12 months and must pay costs of £500.