Haringey: Man jailed for reversing into police officer in ‘violent and aggressive’ assault

A man who seriously injured a Met police officer when he reversed into him to avoid being arrested has been jailed.

Joseph Ward, 24, had been pulled over in his car by Insp Tony McGovern, who was on a motorcycle, when he reversed and rammed into him to avoid being arrested.

Insp McGovern was taken to hospital with injuries to his legs, shoulders and back following the ‘violent and aggressive’ assault on July 1 2022 in Haringey at the junction of Upton Road and Woolmer Road.

An investigation discovered Ward was already wanted for posing as a police officer amongst other offences.

Insp 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 of Green Street, Royston, Hertfordshire, was sentenced to four years in prison at Wood Green Crown Court on Wednesday February 1.

An investigation discovered he was already wanted for an offence on June 23 2022 when he posed as a police officer and demanded money from another driver on Eade Road, Finsbury Park.

Investigators later linked him to two other offences, including on July 5 2022 when he was involved in a collision in Crouch Hill and on July 6 2022 where he failed to stop for police on Goat Lane in Enfield, and damaged two police cars.

Ward was charged on July 21 2022 with 14 separate offences.

Det Ch Sup 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.”