Van driver in police crash jailed

A van driver, who injured two police officers when he reversed into a patrol car they were sitting in, has been jailed.

David Batey (30) was stopped in a Transit van in Woodhouse Road, Woodhouse Eaves, at 1.30am on September 9.

Pcs Lee Thompson and Stacey Howe were initially suspicious about property in the back of the vehicle, which also turned out to have false number plates.

He gave them his correct name and details.

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When the officers returned to the patrol car to make radio checks, Batey suddenly reversed, at between 5mph and 10mph, striking their car.

Alan Murphy, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court that both officers suffered whiplash injuries and were off work for four weeks.

They have since returned to normal duties.

Mr Murphy said Batey may have driven off because of what was in the back of the van, which the officers were about to investigate.

Batey, a father of two, of Gladstone Street, Hathern, handed himself in at a police station.

He was on early release licence at the time from a five-year jail sentence for two street robberies.

His parole was revoked and he was recalled to serve the remainder of the sentence, due to expire in July.

Batey admitted causing actual bodily harm to both officers.

He was given a nine-month jail sentence and banned from driving for a year.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Pert QC said: "He deliberately used a van as a weapon."