Guilty yes . . .

[sir.prize]

but did he deserve this treatment?

http://www.guardian.c...nsioner-car?fb=native

[wolf63]

Maybe a bit OTT - it would have been quicker just to open the door.

[HowardKennitby]

I doubt that, at the time, they were aware of his age. In law his age does not matter. He drove away from them.

[wolf63]

Howard-

I agree - and he might have had a shotgun. The police man was running on adrenaline after the chase and didn't know what was waiting for him. But even the other guys seemed a bit shocked at his method of entry.

[sir.prize]

Good point, Howard. I was more referring to the first cop who approached the car and clearly over-reacted. Surely swinging his truncheon with such force at the window could have caused serious injuries to someone sitting next to it. No doubt the 'Old Bill' would have pleaded self-defence. Shameful actions in my opinion.

[trt]

They must have noticed his age when they smashed his window in before dragging him out of the car, what a load of bullies them cops were!

[welshlibranr]

so over the top, the police went way over the top here!......no need for it!.......

[jno]

he thought they were giving him an escort home?

One of them jumped on his bonnet and started kicking his windscreen in?

People on both sides there who don't seem rational enough to be allowed on the roads.

[sunny-dave]

Initially it looks horrendous - then the more you read, the less sympathy you have for the driver.

He drove over a policeman's foot, drove 8 miles with blues & twos sounding behind him, only stopped when road-blocked and then locked the door to prevent it being opened.

He could have had a shotgun in there - why wouldn't you use 'distraction techniques' to make sure he didn't/couldn't use it.

All wrong that he gets a jackpot payout - spineless legal numpties letting the front line police down.

[China Doll]

Agree with Sunny Dave actually.... and you don't usually speed up when you think someone is 'escorting' you.

[Hopkirk]

At first I thought this was going to be a poor little flat capped OAP in an old Metro.

Turns out he was in a black Range Rover on personalised plates with illegally blacked out windows. He drove off while the police were dealing with him, and failed to stop for eight miles.

My sympathy for him is now vastly reduced.

[sunny-dave]

It never went to court - the spineless police legal numpties settled rather than fighting ...

[jno]

the courts did not find in his favour, they fined him.

[jno]

it was an out-of-court settlement. I'd have fought it if I'd been the police.

[sunny-dave]

< sigh >

but not by any court.

The police legal team took a pragmatic (but unfortunate) view that most people would have the same anti-police knee-jerk response that seems all to prevalent today. So they settled out of court "without admitting any liability".

The officers concerned were not 'retired' ...

" The two Pcs, who have not been named, were removed from front-line duty and were subject to an internal disciplinary hearing held behind closed doors.

But they pair were allowed back on duty after being cleared of any wrong-doing.

Gwent Police said the two officers ‘met the highest standards of professional behaviour’. "