A DRIVER who reversed at high speed with a police officer clinging to his car has been jailed for three and-a-half years.

Sgt David Holt and PC Christopher Walker were in an unmarked police vehicle when they tried to stop Kenneth Gregory's car in Bradford Road in Great Lever, Bolton.

But as the officer asked the occupants of the car to get out the driver, Gregory, pulled his door shut and reversed at high speed, forcing Sgt Holt to cling to the passenger door.

The officer was injured when he was flung heavily against a parked car when Gregory collided with the vehicle.

Gregory claimed he thought he was about to robbed but last month the jury took little time to convict him of dangerous driving, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Sgt Holt and assaulting PC Christopher Walker causing actual bodily harm in the incident on June 15 this year.

Gregory had told the jury that as he drove along Bradford Road he became aware that a Vauxhall car had been following him. When it suddenly pulled in front of him he thought he was going to be robbed.

The plain-clothes officers had been driving an unmarked police car when they stopped Gregory and two passengers in Bradford Road, near the junction with Green Lane in Great Lever.

Sgt Holt was injured when he became trapped between the door and the kerb as the car reversed and was forced to hang on to the passenger door before being flung into a parked car.

He was left lying injured in the road as the car then continued reversing at speed, smashing into an ambulance, as it escaped.

Gregory, who was later arrested, admitted driving off but he claimed he did not know the men were police officers.

Gregory, aged 59, of Ainsworth Road, Radcliffe, was found guilty following his trial at Bolton Crown Court last month.

He was convicted of dangerous driving, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Sgt Holt and assaulting PC Christopher Walker causing actual bodily harm in the incident on June 15 this year.

Sgt Holt is still off work following the incident.

PC Walker said yesterday: "It is a welcome sentence and we hope that it acts as a deterrent to anyone in Bolton who is thinking of committing crime.

"They should know that police are out and about watching over the streets of Bolton."

GUILTY: Kenneth Gregory