A drink driver with eight previous convictions for 12 offences has been sentenced after running over a police officers leg.
Shane Reed was driving a tipper van when the vehicle shuddered to a halt outside the Pig and Butcher pub near Uckfield in July 2019.
Officers, who were in the area dealing with an unrelated matter, had their attention drawn to the vehicle after it was spotted driving without any headlights on.
When PC Alex Morris went to question Reed and take out the keys from the ignition, Reed pushed him away and attempted to drive off.
The officer was dragged for around 15 metres before being knocked to the floor as the van’s wheels ran over the officer’s leg, causing him “excruciating” pain.
The officer also suffered from gravel rash and an inch gash to his head.
During the court hearing, the officer told the presiding judge that he thought he would die, as the vehicle dragged him along the floor.
As PC Morris had successfully removed the keys from the ignition, the vehicle came to a halt, and officers detained reed.
The 28-year-old admitted drink driving and was found guilty of failing to stop for an officer and assaulting an emergency worker when he appeared before Lewes Crown Court.
Her Honour Judge Janet Waddicor said Reed was lucky that greater harm was not caused.
Reed was given a ten-month suspended sentence and 150 hours of unpaid work.
Edward Hand, prosecuting, said the incident happened in July 2019.
Mr Hand said: “PC Morris told the driver to stop, but was knocked to the ground. As the vehicle drove away it ran over the lower leg of PC Morris.”
Reed gave a breath test of 103 micrograms (mcg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath.
The legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
Judge Waddicor said: The officer injured by you described it as a frightening experience. He thought his days were up.
“He feared he would end up like another officer who was dragged along by young people who ended up losing his life.”
The judge said Reed had also put his passengers’ lives at risk by drink driving. She said, “on balance”, she was persuaded to suspend the prison sentence.
As well as the suspended sentence and 150 hours of unpaid work, Reed was banned from driving for 28 months.
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An appallingly lenient sentence, what is our judicial system trying to do to the morale of the police force?? Erode it?
I agree with you the law has been an ass for way to long now and our society is in turmoil !! Stiffer longer sentences and remove the bloody problem instead of 20 strikes then we get tougher crap .
Just what do you have to do to get a custodial sentence?A criminally lenient sentence that will see this driver doing exactly the same thing again and again until he kills someone. This judge needs removing from office, unfit for purpose.
The sentence for the criminal act of dragging a police officer along the road outside of a vehicle, is an absolute joke. There is no justice here. The perpetrator will be laughing in the face of the legal system. I know, I am an ex prison officer, who had offenders tell me time and time again, that prison these days is too easy. And this is from people i prison. The judge handing out this pathetic excuse for a sentence, is so out of touch with reality, that they should be disbarred. Disgusting outcome for the police. I am in Australia, and our pathetic legal system is just as bad.
8 convictions for 12 previous offences. Clearly, Reed is taking punishment seriously and is on the road to mending his ways.
What was this idiot judge thinking? Reed was nearly 3 times over the limit. That is not a bit over, that is well pissed, itself dreadful. That he injured a police officer and could easily have inflicted life changing wounds or even death was a rational choice. He could have chosen to stop when told.
At 28 with 8 convictions, he is clearly of a criminal mindset and should have been jailed. To allow someone like this to remain on the street is a very bad joke. Quite apart from putting the public at risk, by attacking the police he is showing his contempt for law and order, never mind society.