Man to stand trial over attempted murder of Kent police officer

Barry Rossiter, 24, of Nickley Wood, Ashford, denied the alleged attack

Author: Anahita Hossein-Pour, PAPublished 11th Mar 2024

A man will stand trial accused of attempting to murder a police officer in Kent.

Barry Rossiter, 24, of Nickley Wood, Ashford, denied the alleged attack at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday.

The charge comes after a police constable in Ashford, who was on foot at the time, sustained serious injuries in a collision with a car that allegedly failed to stop at the scene, Kent Police had said.

The incident took place in Coulter Road, near the junction with Hedgers Way, on January 26 at 3.16pm.

Rossiter denied attempting to murder the officer, as well as pleading not guilty to assaulting an emergency worker and causing serious injury by dangerous driving in a silver Vauxhall Vectra.

A second man, Benjamin Wilson, 19, also appearing in court by video link on Monday, denied perverting the course of justice by setting fire to a vehicle, resulting in loss of evidence.

He also denied assisting an escape of an offender from January 26 to February 2.

The two have been remanded into custody until the trial, which is set for September 2.

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