St Helens: Brothers jailed for driving van at police officer

Umar and Ahmmad Anwar have been jailed for 30 months and four years respectively

Two brothers have been jailed after a van was driven at a police officer leaving him with serious injuries.

Merseyside Police said the officer was attacked while retrieving a backpack filled with cannabis on a St Helens road on 17 May.

Van driver Umar Anwar was jailed for 30 months for causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

His brother Ahmmad Anwar was jailed for four years for possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply.

Rochdale men Umar Anwar, 31 of Birkdale Road, and Ahmmad Anwar, 27, of Deeplish Road, each admitted their offences.

Umar Anwar was also disqualified from driving for seven years.

'Reckless actions'

It was reported to police that a backpack, suspected to contain cannabis, was in the road on Hewitt Avenue.

When officers attended, the constable approached a white Ford Transit van whose occupants were "acting suspiciously nearby".

The van was then driven at the officer hitting him, before it was driven away.

The police officer suffered a serious shoulder injury and injuries to his right arm and right leg.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul White said: "These men clearly had no regard for the safety of others, demonstrated by their reckless actions on that night which led to a police officer being seriously injured.

"Our officers put themselves in harms way every day to protect law abiding members of the public and while they understand the risks their job carries, it is totally unacceptable that they should have to tolerate this level of violence."