Man who ran over PC Gareth Phillips with patrol car jailed

A car thief who ran over a police officer with a patrol car after being Tasered has been jailed for 12 years.

Mubashar Hussain hijacked a police BMW and drove over PC Gareth Phillips, before speeding away at up to 97mph.

The officer sustained potentially life-changing injuries when he was targeted by "habitual dangerous driver" Hussain in Birmingham in August.

Hussain, 29, previously admitted causing grievous bodily harm, and was sentenced at the city's crown court.

PC Phillips, of West Midlands Police, attended reports of a stolen car in Moseley on 10 August.

Hussain was found in the driver's seat and his co-defendant Ahsan Ghafoor in the passenger seat.

Mubashar Hussain ran over the officer as he fled the scene in Birmingham

The court heard Hussain removed barbs left in his skin by a Taser deployed by officers who surrounded the stolen Range Rover Evoque.

Andrew Smith QC, prosecuting, said Hussain "remained resistant even when a Taser device was used against him".

"In fact he tried to remove the barbs of the fired Taser from his skin," Mr Smith said.

PC Phillips was in court for the sentencing but left when recordings of the events were played

Police body-cam footage played in court showed Ghafoor being handcuffed and pinned to the ground near the 4x4.

Hussain was filmed struggling with officers and was described as looking "in a rage and fired up", Mr Smith said.

He reached the unmarked police car behind the Range Rover, despite being Tasered again.

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The force vehicle had been left with its engine running and it began to reverse after banned driver Hussain got behind the wheel.

"Mr Hussain then drove forward over the pelvic region of PC Phillips before accelerating up Moorcroft Road," Mr Smith said.

"The effect was immediately distressing. This was an extremely shocking and frightening incident for all of the police officers involved."

Hussain was arrested in Sparkbrook, about a mile away from the attack in Moseley

Hussain, of no fixed address, fled the scene and was arrested in the Sparkbrook area after abandoning the police car.

The court heard he entered a dessert shop where he disguised himself in an apron and then punched a chasing officer.

Last month, Hussain admitted causing grievous bodily harm, two counts of vehicle theft, dangerous driving, two counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of assault, assaulting an emergency worker, aggravated vehicle-taking, and two charges of having no insurance.

He had initially been charged with attempted murder.

Ghafoor, 24, of Fulham Road, Sparkhill, was jailed for 28 months after admitting two counts of car theft and three driving offences including dangerous driving, having no insurance and driving other than in accordance with a licence.

PC Phillips was discharged from hospital last month.

He was in court for the sentencing hearing, but left the court room when the video footage was played.

In a victim impact statement the officer said it was "unclear if I will ever be able to return to work".

He said his first operation was "life-saving" and added: "It's too early to say what my long-term prognosis will be and I'm certainly facing more surgery in the weeks and months to come."

PC Phillips said he would do "everything I can to get back into policing"

Sentencing Hussain, Judge Mark Wall QC said: "You are a habitual dangerous driver. The level of your offending is increasing and not diminishing."

Supt Dave Twyford, head of roads policing at West Midlands Police, said it was the "most traumatic incident" he had been involved in during his career.

"Not only witnessing the horrific injuries and the deliberate acts to my police officers, but also complete disregard for members of the public in the West Midlands," he said.

"Mubashar Hussain has shown no regard for the safety of police or any member of the public. His actions show no respect for humanity."