Pc ‘hit suspect with his patrol 
car three times’

Road traffic officer Pc Steven Mullaney, who is facing charges including assault, claimed he only “nudged” 37-year-old Anthony Shaw to slow him down and allow colleague Pc Darren DaCosta to catch up with him.

But Mr Shaw was kept in hospital for three days with a sprained right shoulder, sprained ankles and abrasions to his eye, shoulder, wrists, knees, elbow and foot.

When Mullaney viewed the in-car recording of events he “realised it would not look good for others to see it” and put it in a tray back at the police station for it to be erased.

The tape was later retrieved by a sergeant and shown to a jury at Sheffield Crown Court where Mullaney is on trial.

Mullaney, 41, from Queensbury in Bradford, denies dangerous driving in a marked police car, assaulting Mr Shaw causing actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice by attempting to destroy evidence.

The events happened in the early hours of Sunday, March 18 last year off Huddersfield Road in Wyke, where Mr Smith had a “considerable amount to drink” in the Crown pub with a friend, said Michael Smith, prosecuting.

Mr Shaw’s friend was threatening to drive home in his Ford Fusion at 2.15am but was stopped by Mr Shaw, who took the keys and said he would hide the car for him around the corner.

As Mr Shaw drove the car the short distance he was spotted by Mullaney, who was driving his patrol car with Pc DaCosta as a passenger.

The officers decided to stop the Ford, which pulled up. As Pc DaCosta got out of the patrol car, Mr Shaw panicked and ran off.

He turned into nearby Mary Street, with Pc DaCosta in pursuit on foot.

Mr Shaw said he remembered the Vauxhall police car on the pavement being driven towards him. He put out his hand but the car hit him on the right knee.

He set off running again in the middle of the narrow road, heard an engine revving and looked back and saw the police car.

“He then recalls being hit from behind by the police car,” said Mr Smith.

“He fell to the floor and says that he recalls a severe pain in his right shoulder and he was struggling for breath.

“He nevertheless managed to get to his feet and tried to run again, but was aware of being hit by the police car again.

“He fell to the floor, got up again and tried to run off, but was hit for a third time from behind by the police car.

“He then recalls being taken to the floor by someone who was in fact Pc DaCosta.”

Both officers made the arrest and handcuffed Mr Shaw, of Thornton Road, Bradford, who gave a breath-test reading showing he was two-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit.

Jurors were shown both the in-car police video and CCTV footage filmed by a family living in Mary Street.

In the latter the police car could be heard revving up, before there were cries when Mr Shaw was apparently struck.

At the police station Mr Shaw alleged he had been run over by the police.

After he was taken to hospital, the two officers began filling in paperwork.

They looked at the in-car recording and Pc DaCosta claimed the defendant said words in a jokey manner to the effect of: “That looks bad, I can’t show this.”

Mullaney told the on-duty sergeant the police car had suffered a dent on its nearside wing, caused by Mr Shaw’s right knee.

“The defendant did not mention the other contacts he had had with Mr Shaw,” said Mr Smith.

The sergeant believed the incident was more serious than the officers had described and asked Mullaney where the hard drive from the car had been put.

“Pc Mullaney said it was in the tray marked hard drives to erase,” said Mr Smith, and the tape was retrieved.

It is believed that the police car was driving at between nine and 12mph at the time of the collisions.

Mullaney, who is based at Lawcroft House Police Station in Bradford, denies all charges.

The trial continues.