Police Federation calls for tougher road rage sentences

‘The use of a vehicle as a weapon is no different to swinging an axe at a person’ ANDY BERRY, POLICE FEDERATION

HORRIFIC attacks on officers who are run down in the road by drivers are increasing, the Police Federation has warned.

Andy Berry, the chairman of Devon and Cornwall Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, spoke out following the jailing of Damien Price last week.

Terrifying dashcam footage showed him smashing into Sergeant Alex Howden at an Exeter supermarket.

Price was jailed for six-and-a-half years at Exeter Crown Court following the incident in March in the Sainsbury’s car park in Pinhoe.

Sgt Howden was flung into the air and flipped over Price’s blue Ford Fiesta after it slammed into him, leaving him with a broken leg, a head injury and bruising. The court heard that his recovery is expected to take more than a year.

The incident followed a recent failed attempt to increase the jail sentences of three young men who were jailed for the manslaughter of Pc Andrew Harper of Thames Valley Police.

The newlywed officer, 28, suffered devastating injuries as he was dragged to his death behind a car by teenage thieves last August.

The driver of the car, 19-year-old Henry Long, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for manslaughter while his passengers Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, were handed 13 year terms.

Mr Berry said there was concern among police officers where vehicles were used as weapons against them.

Speaking of the incident involving Sgt Howden, Mr Berry said: “I don’t think that anyone watching the dash-cam footage for the incident would not be shocked and horrified by the brutality of the attack.

“The use of a vehicle in that way is no different to swinging an axe at a person and in this case we can only be thankful that by chance Sgt Alex Howden was not killed or more seriously injured.”

The court had heard that before smashing into Sgt Howden, Price had reversed into the car of a couple in their sixties in a road rage attack, after punching the man in the face. The couple, who had exited their car, were knocked to the ground.

Sgt Howden had just arrived at the scene and was trying to prevent Price from fleeing the car park when Price drove into him.

Andy Berry said: “I believe that there should be a review of the law to ensure that courts have sufficient sentencing options to adequately punish offenders who use vehicles in such a way, and permanently restrict their use of vehicles in the future to protect the public.”