A man who was arrested in 2022 after using his car to ram a police officer off their motorcycle has been sentenced to four years in prison.
Joseph Ward, 24 (26.07.98), of Green Street, Royston, Hertfordshire, was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Wednesday, 1 February.
Ward’s sentencing was the conclusion of a trial which was triggered after Inspector Tony McGovern was hit, while patrolling on a motorcycle, by Ward’s car on 1 July 2022.
Inspector McGovern had decided to pull Ward over when he observed driving behaviour which made him, according to the Met Police, “suspicious.”
After speaking with Ward through his driver-side window, Inspector McGovern returned to his motorcycle, only for Ward to reverse into him, knocking him down, before driving off.
As a result of the incident, Inspector McGovern was taken to hospital with leg, shoulder, and back injuries from which he is still recovering.
Inspector Tony McGovern, said: "I have been a police officer for 18 years and I never expected to be deliberately rammed off my motorbike in such a violent and aggressive act.
"I continue to recover from the injuries I suffered that day, however I remain determined to serve the people of London and remove violent and dangerous offenders from the streets."
Ward was arrested on 20 July 2022, and investigators were able to link him to two further incidents: a collision on 5 July 2022, and causing damage to two police cars when he failed to stop for them on 6 July 2022.
Detective Chief Superintendent Lee Hill, who leads the Violent Crime Taskforce, said: "Joseph Ward is a dangerous man and I have no doubt that he would have gone on to commit more offences. I am pleased that he has received a custodial sentence and I praise Tony for his outstanding bravery.
"Our officers work tirelessly to protect the public from violent crime and we will never tolerate any form of assault on emergency workers, whose job it is to protect the public.”
