Man ran over police officer's foot in rampage
Northumbria PoliceA man who threatened to ram a car through his family home before driving over a police officer's foot has been jailed for a year.
Another officer had to jump out of the way, to avoid being run over, when David Burdis drove at him during a rampage in Hebburn on 15 November, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Earlier that day, Burdis, 35, had narrowly missed hitting a jogger while driving on the pavement in a rage, after being refused entry to his partner's home, the court heard.
Burdis, who had two dozen motoring offences on his record and was released from prison 17 days prior to the offence, admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and threatening to commit criminal damage.
In November last year, a jogger, who happened to be an off-duty police officer, was running along Victoria Road in Hebburn at about 13:35 GMT when he heard a loud bang, prosecutor Lucy Todd told the court.
The runner saw Burdis crash his black Nissan Qashqai into a wall, losing parts of the car and blowing a tyre, Todd said.
The jogger subsequently had to leap into the hedgerow, when Burdis drove at speed along the pavement towards him, the court heard.
Soon after, shortly before 14:00, the court heard Burdis confronted police who had gone to his partner's home, where he had been refused entry earlier.
Driving ban
After "goading" and verbally abusing officers, he said: "I tell you what, I'll get a car and put it through the house."
Burdis then ran away, the court heard.
At about 15:45 he drove back to the street in his damaged Qashqai, where two officers from an unmarked police car got out and tried to stop him, Todd said.
One officer had his arm through the window when Burdis drove off at speed, injuring the officer's arm and running over his foot, the court heard.
Another officer had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit, the court heard.
Burdis, of Jervis Street in Hebburn, was arrested later that evening at a hotel in Gateshead.
In a statement read to the court, the officer who jumped out of the way of Burdis' car said he had been genuinely concerned he might not return home on the day of the incident, as the "tragic reality" was that officers had "lost their lives in similar circumstances".
Burdis had 24 motoring offences on his record, including one for dangerous driving and 10 counts of driving while disqualified, the court heard - with his lawyer Fiona Lamb saying he would go for a drive to alleviate his mental health issues.
In addition to his jail sentence, Burdis was banned from driving for a further three and a half years and will have to pass an extended test.
