A rogue driver has been jailed for dragging a police officer along a city road as his arm was snagged in his car.
Robbie Bruce admitted driving dangerously on William Street at the junction with Victoria Road last November.
Bruce said: “**** this, I’m out of here,” before speeding off while PC Mark Reid still had his arm inside the front passenger side of the car.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard PC Reid suffered no injuries despite being dragged two metres across the road while his feet were in the air.
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Bruce, 24, almost ran over PC Steven Smith who had to jump out of the way to avoid him as well as almost crashing into three vehicles as he drove onto Victoria Road.
Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC jailed Bruce for the offences and slammed his conduct, saying: “It’s inherently dangerous behaviour to drive a car like that and when the police constable had his arm snagged in the car and he was dragged along.”
Bruce’s Ford Focus aroused the suspicions of staff at the Lily Walker Centre on Ann Street, where he was residing, who in turn informed police.
Officers pulled Bruce over and stopped his car – which did not have a registered keeper – but he did not turn off the engine.
Despite initially cooperating, Bruce became increasingly edgy and refused to leave the car.
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Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin said previously: “As one of the officers reached his hands within the vehicle, with the engine still running, the accused said ‘**** this, I’m out of here’
“PC Reid reached within the vehicle and the accused accelerated heavily on wet, cobbled road causing the wheels to spin, narrowly missing PC Smith who had to jump out of the way.
“PC Reid was dragged two metres with both feet above the ground. He was able to free himself uninjured and saw the vehicle accelerate rapidly, narrowly avoiding a collision with three cars that undertook emergency braking.”
Bruce then entered the opposing carriageway along Victoria Road and through a red light before officers lost sight of him.
Bruce, a prisoner of HMP Perth, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously on November 12, and a second charge of culpably and recklessly driving a vehicle by accelerating while PC Reid had his arm within the vehicle, resulting in him being dragged along the road for two metres, causing him to lose his balance to the danger of injury.
Bruce was jailed for 12 months and disqualified from driving for the same period.
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