A Whitefield man was jailed today for a ‘moment of stupidity’ when he deliberately knocked down two police officers in his car – after driving while banned.
Wayne Crompton, 37, had been stopped by the officers after he was spotted driving the wrong way down Rochdale Road in Harpurhey in February.
And now the two police officers are being praised for their bravery in still taking down the license plate of the car as they lay bleeding in the road.
Crompton, of Kenmore Way, Whitefield, was jailed for 10 years today after pleading guilty to two counts of section 18 assault, dangerous driving, aggravated taking without consent, driving while disqualified and driving with no insurance at an earlier hearing.
Detective Inspector Mark Tootill from the East Integrated Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “I would like to praise both officers for their actions and remaining professional – despite the injuries they suffered – which allowed us to track Crompton within hours and ensure justice was done.”
The two officers were both rushed to hospital after the incident, where one was treated for an arm injury and the other for three skull fractures.
They had been on a routine patrol of Harpurhey on Sunday February 24 when they saw a red Hyundai driving on the wrong side of the road.
After turning round and catching up with it, the pulled the car over to the kerb. As an officer approached the car, Crompton – who was the only one in the vehicle – drove it into him.
As the officer lay bleeding on the floor, the second officer tried to approach the car he too was hit – launching him over the bonnet as the car sped off down Rochdale Road.
Despite lying injured on the floor, the officer still took down the license plate and called for back-up.
“Every time a GMP officer goes out on patrol to protect the public, they are aware and accept the potential risks they may face,” DI Tootill said.
“What should have been a routine vehicle stop resulted in these two officers being deliberately driven at and suffering potentially serious injuries.
“If you ask any police officer, they would say that facing such risks is just part and parcel of the job they do because they are determined to bring criminals to justice and protect the communities we serve.”
At the time of the incident, a warrant had already been issued for Crompton’s arrest after he failed to turn up to a previous court hearing.
He was disqualified from driving having been given a six-month driving ban in November 2012. He had also been charged with driving while disqualified on 4 December 2012. He was given court bail but failed to turn up for his scheduled court appearance in February.
DI Tootill said: “Only Crompton knows what possessed him to react in such a dangerous way. He may well have panicked knowing that he was already banned from driving and was wanted by the police, and in a moment of stupidity deliberately drove at these two officers to flee the scene.
“As a result, the two officers sustained injuries and needed hospital treatment. This clearly caused their families a great deal of anxiety and distress but thankfully they are both now recovering well at home.”
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