Police scared to make arrests – accused Met officer

A POLICE officer accused of sawing and smashing his way through a suspect’s windscreen has claimed the sharp rise in violent crime in London is down to officers being too afraid to make arrests in case they face a backlash.

Joshua Savage, 28, allegedly attacked Leon Fontana’s Ford Fiesta with a baton before cutting the glass with a lock knife on September 16, 2016.

The incident, at around 5.25pm, in Vicar’s Road in Camden, north-west London, was filmed by Mr Fontana and shared widely online at the time, provoking a public outcry.

Police mistakenly thought the driver was a potentially violent drug dealer called TJ Dixon, who may have had a weapon and only a provisional licence, Southwark Crown Court heard. Savage’s actions have been described as those of “a bully in uniform”.

But Savage claimed yesterday that what he did was necessary to protect himself, colleagues and the public. “It was a situation where I was trying to gain (Mr Fontana’s) compliance – absolutely the situation didn’t unfold the way I would have liked,” he said.

The court heard that Savage had run a check on the vehicle by radio and learned that it had previously been used to make off from police.

He continued: “I knew I was in a police-unfriendly area, potentially with a person who could present a risk to myself or my colleagues.

“I knew the driver was potentially someone who might make off from us, so I approached the vehicle feeling very anxious.

“I explained why I stopped him. All he would say was ‘I’m not TJ Dixon.’”

Savage said he the car’s tinted windows made it difficult to see inside.

“I believed the driver to be Mr Dixon. We knew he presented a risk to police officers and the public in that he would be prepared to drive off and cause a pursuit. This is the problem we are seeing throughout London – police officers are more reluctant to deal with things because they are scared.”

Savage, of Wanstead, north-east London, is charged with possessing a bladed article; common assault and destroying property.

He has been placed on restricted duties by the Metropolitan Police and entered not-guilty pleas in May.