Swindon man who dragged officer along ground in vehicle jailed
It happened in Old Town in July last year
A 20 year-old man from Swindon's been jailed for more than three years after dragging a police officer along the ground in a vehicle.
It happened in Old Town in July last year - when an officer tried to stop Matthew Turley's vehicle in the Old Town. A woman was also injured in the incident.
Turley pleaded guilty to several offences including aggravated vehicle taking without consent - and was sentenced to 40 months in prison.
Officers were on patrol in Old Town when a man driving a Toyota Aygo came to their attention.
An officer on foot indicated for the vehicle to stop which it did, but as the officer was stood at the driver’s window asking him to stop the engine, the driver – Turley – put his foot down and attempted to drive off.
The officer had his arm inside the vehicle and attempted to pull the key from the ignition, but Turley accelerated, dragging the officer approximately 20 feet along the ground.
During the struggle, the officer noticed a woman in the path of Turley’s vehicle and so pulled the steering wheel towards him and away from the direction of the woman to avoid a serious collision. The vehicle made contact with the woman’s knee causing her significant bruising.
Turley made off at speed and the vehicle was later located.
The officer was not seriously injured.
PC William Saunders said: “At the time of this incident, Turley was disqualified from driving after he was previously convicted of aggravated vehicle taking in 2020, so not only did he not have permission to use the vehicle, but he was also disqualified.
“This was a frightening experience for the officer involved as well as the member of the public who was injured as a result of Turley’s reckless actions. Thanks to the officer’s quick thinking actions, the woman escaped without serious injury but did sustain tyre marks and serious bruising to her leg.
“I am pleased that Turley has been given a prison sentence and a significant disqualification from driving.”