Video footage of the moment a police officer “dangerously” knocked two men off an electric motorbike has been released.
Former-Pc Tim Bradshaw, 55, is on trial at Portsmouth Crown Court accused of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in Hawthorn Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, on November 3 2022.
The court has heard that the response officer touched the back wheel of the e-bike with his Ford Focus marked police car, causing the rider, Mason McGarry, and pillion passenger Dominic Mizzi, to lose control and fall to the ground.
A video screen grab shows the moment a marked police car knocks the rider and pillion passenger off an electric motorbike (Court handout/PA)
Mr McGarry, who was 17 at the time, suffered a broken tibia and required surgery and told the court that Bradshaw had not given any warning.
Giving evidence, Mr Mizzi, 22, who aggravated injuries from a previous e-bike accident in the incident, described the officer as “unhinged”.
Bradshaw, a married father-of-one, told the court that it was Mr Mizzi’s “own stupid fault” that he had been involved in the incident.
He also said that the use of a “tactical contact” manoeuvre had been authorised previously by his superiors and he was permitted to use “reasonable force”.
Former Pc Tim Bradshaw denies the charge (Court handout/PA)
Bradshaw, who retired in June last year, said: “I was presented with a situation which in my view was a perfect opportunity to make contact with that bike and stop a pursuit and the increased risk.”
He said that he had “nudged” the electric bike with the bumper of his vehicle and added: “It was light contact, it was light enough, there was not a blemish on my police car.”
He added: “I believed it was a justified, necessary action.”
Bradshaw, of Bersted, West Sussex, denies the charge and the trial continues.