Motorcyclist drove 'at police officer' in Boscombe

Samuel Leslie Farnden’s path had been blocked off at traffic lights in Boscombe by a marked police car.

However, he took a couple of steps back on his motorbike before revving the engine and moving forwards.

The front wheel of the motorcycle collided with PC Robert Williams.

As the officer grabbed the 24-year-old defendant to prevent him getting away, the KTM motorbike shot off and almost did a cartwheel before hitting the police car, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

Farnden was jailed at a hearing on Friday, August 25, after he previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

Judge Jonathan Fuller KC said: “Though it is not the most serious case of dangerous driving, what makes the case serious is you were driving at a police officer dangerously and that really aggravates the position.

“The offence is so serious that I cannot justify suspending the sentence.”

The sentencing hearing took place at Bournemouth Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Officers’ were drawn to the defendant’s vehicle when he was travelling in Christchurch Road near Pokesdown Railway Station on the morning of June 24, 2022.

They began to follow him and saw him overtake vehicles before accelerating along the main road above the speed limit.

Police illuminated their blue lights and tried to block the defendant’s path when he came to a red traffic light.

The officer in the passenger seat, PC Williams, got out of the police car to restrain Farnden.

Judge Fuller KC said the defendant was clear in his own mind he did not want to be detained.

“So, what you did was you push back a couple of feet as Mr Williams was coming towards you saying with his hands effectively stop, don’t go anywhere,” Judge Fuller KC.

“Your determination to get past him is heard on the footage as you revved your vehicle.”

In a statement, PC Williams described the front wheel of the motorbike as “probably glancing with his leg and his knee”.

“Who knows what injury might have been caused and that was you deliberately driving in the way that you did,” Judge Fuller KC said.

“You may not have wanted to harm him but your driving was dangerous with a high likelihood of causing injury and potentially serious injury to this policeman.”

Prosecuting, Ed Wylde said the defendant only had a provisional licence and he was not insured.

Farnden, who was detained and compliant at the scene, had no previous convictions, Mr Wylde said.

Mitigating, Richard Martin said the offence was wholly out of character and his client had panicked.

The defendant, of North Road, Poole, had previously been in the very same court room when a man was being sentenced for causing him serious injuries by driving dangerously.

Mr Martin said this incident in 2019 left Farnden with a brain injury.

The barrister said it had been suggested in pre-sentence reports this brain injury was linked to the commission of the offence in Boscombe.

“The defendant is very clear in no way did he intend to aim for the police officer. In his blind panic he went for the gap and he was wholly reckless,” Mr Martin said.

Explaining why Farnden was using the motorbike when he knew he should not have been, Mr Martin said his lift to work had fallen through and he wanted to get to work so he got on his bike, which had acquired just a matter of weeks prior.

The judge said he did not consider the prospect of rehabilitation, Farnden's personal mitigation and the affect of custody on others did not outweigh the need to mark the seriousness of the offence with a jail term.

The defendant, who works as an air conditioning fitter, received a sentence of 10 months’ imprisonment.

He was disqualified from driving for 17 months and will be required to take an extended retest.