A MOTORIST who mowed down a police officer as he sped away from a suspected drug deal has been jailed.

Mohammed Asim careered into Sergeant Alan Hands in Wolverhampton Road, Dudley, as he and a foot patrol colleague approached a VW Golf they believed was being used to peddle drugs.

He reversed at speed, crashing into a rubbish skip, before accelerating and clipping Sgt Hands – who smashed the driver’s window with his baton in an attempt to stop the car – as he made for the car-park exit.

The vehicle’s owner, Yasmeen Naila, was traced to an address in Western Road, Erdington, but she reported the car stolen just two hours after the incident on August 6, 2015 and denied all knowledge of the collision.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that officers found the Golf in Aston Road, Dudley, hidden under a sheet of tarpaulin and a forensic examination revealed Asim’s fingerprints on the bodywork.

The 25-year-old was arrested from his home in Queens Cross, Dudley, while 33-year-old Naila was arrested for questioning on suspicion of lying to officers.

Naila, of Highfield Road, Saltley, told officers she was not in Dudley on the day of the collision and that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d visited the town.

However, investigators showed that her mobile phone was active in the area on the day and street cameras also recorded car being driven in Dudley just days earlier.

Asim, who was picked out by the officers during an ID procedure, initially denied actual bodily harm and dangerous driving but later changed his plea and admitted the offences.

He was jailed for 17 months, while Naila was handed a 12 month jail term for perverting the course of justice.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Pete Miller described Asim and Naila as “persistent liars”.

He added: “This was a nasty incident and one that could have resulted in very serious injury for the officer involved.

“Asim drove off leaving Sgt Hands lying on the floor and not knowing how badly hurt he was – and then, along with Naila, concocted a series of lies in a bid to escape punishment.”

Sergeant Hands said the incident was a reminder of the dangers police officers can face on a daily basis in tacking crime and keeping the public safe.

He said: “I’ve undergone CT scans and six months of physiotherapy to try and alleviate the back pain. Thankfully my injuries weren’t more serious but my wife, in-particular, was very shaken up by what happened and asked me to consider my future as a front line officer.

“I’m pleased that the offenders finally admitted the offences.”