Police officer hit by speeding car chased down and caught car thief

A man who crashed into a police car, knocking an officer off his feet after a high speed chase along the hard shoulder of the M25, has been sentenced to 23 months in prison. Guildford Crown Court heard how 'courageous' PC Daniel Pascoe landed on his back during the incident on July 3 at the St Peter's Way roundabout at junction 11 before chasing the man on foot.



Lee Adamson, 29, was sentenced on Friday (July 29) after pleading guilty to offences of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop, driving without insurance and resisting a police officer. The court heard police received information through an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system that a previously stolen BMW was being driven near the junction.

Police went to the area, saw the car stuck in traffic, and according to prosecutor James Wing, as soon as Adamson, of Heatherwood Drive, Hayes, saw the police he moved into the hard shoulder and drove off at 'high speed'. Mr Wing said; "According to police officers they were travelling after him at 90mph at one point. He was going faster than them. It's not said that that speed was maintained from start to finish."


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He added the defendant drove the car towards junction 11 where other officers were 'lying in wait', with PC Pascoe's vehicle slightly blocking the road. Adamson collided with the police car. PC Pascoe, who was standing on the far side of the vehicle as the car hit it, was knocked 'completely off his feet'. The defendant escaped the BMW and ran away and after a brief struggle was overwhelmed by the officers.