Yorkshire police officer deliberately mowed down by motorist on mobile phone speaks of anger as he walks free from court

PC David Hoyle, from West Yorkshire Police, suffered four broken bones in his back and had to take three months of work when he was hit by motorist Zakariya Khan.

PC Hoyle, who was off-duty at the time, was filling up his camper van at a petrol station in Idle, Bradford, when he spotted Khan driving towards him on his mobile phone.

"I filled up and was walking across the forecourt when he cut up another driver and I saw he was on his phone," PC Hoyle said.

" I told him to get off his phone and gestured to him and that’s when he just drove at me.

"I put my hands on the bonnet to get my legs out of the way. I flipped over and hit the bonnet and the windscreen and landed on the floor and that’s when it all started to go rapidly down hill."

PC Hoyle was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary where it was confirmed he had broken four bones in his back.

"The doctors said if I hadn’t been in the condition I was in and the size I am ( 18 stone and 6ft tall) it could have been a lot lot worse," the police officer said.

PC Hoyle, who has worked for the West Yorkshire force for 19 years, claims he was told Khan had been charged with a section 18 assault and dangerous driving following the incident on July 30, 2018.

He said he was then shocked to find out the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) later accepted Khan's guilty plea of wanton and furious driving. As a result of the lesser charge he was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

PC Hoyle said: “I know the CPS have a job to do and have got to be seen getting results, but my case is I wasn’t consulted in how the case developed.

“I should have had a phone call long before they decided to drop this to a lesser charge. If this had gone to a court and a trial by jury he would have been convicted. I just feel they have gone for a quick win and quick result and not considered me at any point.

“I was off work for three, nearly four months, it’s taken me over 12 months to get to where I am to be able to work normally, but my recovery is still ongoing, yet they have just taken a plea bargain and I haven’t really been consulted on it or involved with any decision making process. I just feel really disappointed by it all. "

PC Hoyle's comments have been echoed by the Chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation Brian Booth who said he is horrified by the sentence given to Khan, of Cheltenham Street, Bradford.

Mr Booth said: “I am horrified to learn how the offender has walked away from court with a lenient sentence. It begs the question of what chance do we have as a society when an off duty officer challenges inappropriate behaviour and is deliberately run over with a vehicle, causing significant injury, disruption to life and costing thousands in public money?

“There is a missed chance here to show that we will protect those who, even off duty, stand up and try and make a difference. The CPS has let us down in their handling of this case.”

A CPS spokeswoman said: “The defendant's behaviour was appalling and the officer is fortunate the injuries caused were not much more grave.

“The charge of wanton and furious driving is serious, carries significant potential sentence of up to two years immediate imprisonment, and accurately reflected the deliberate nature of the offence. The police officer in charge of the investigation was consulted and agreed and the Judge endorsed the course of action.

“The defendant pleaded guilty to this charge and was sentenced to a nine month suspended sentence, 250 hours unpaid work, six penalty points and a fine of £1000."