An armed police officer who crashed his car while racing to the scene of the Streatham terrorist attack at speeds of 80mph was driving dangerously, a court was told.
PC Paul Fisher, 46, smashed into the back of a Toyota Prius while driving his unmarked BMW X5 when responding to the unprovoked stabbings carried out by Sudesh Amman in February 2020.
The Met Police specialist firearms officer had been on standby alongside another armed response vehicle during a surveillance operation for Amman following his release from prison 10 days earlier, London’s Southwark crown court heard.
The court was told how PC Fisher drove too fast to be able to grip the road properly, drove on the wrong side of the road and overtook another motorist.
PC Fisher denies dangerous driving by making the ‘possibility of causing injury to any person or serious damage to property’.
PC Paul Fisher smashed into the back of a Toyota Prius while driving his unmarked BMW X
CCTV footage captured Sudesh Amman on Streatham High Road in south London, moments before he stabbed two members of the public
Amman had served a prison sentence for terrorist offences and there were ‘concerns about the continued risks Amman posed to the public’, The Sun reported.
Ben Lloyd, prosecuting, said: ‘At about 1:57pm. radio transmissions stated that the subject of the surveillance operation had a knife and had begun stabbing people on Streatham High Road.
‘The defendant of course wanted to get to the scene of the incident. That is perfectly understandable and it was his duty.
‘However, the defendant did not get to the scene of the incident as, about two minutes into his journey, he crashed his vehicle into the rear of a Toyota Prius.
‘As such, he caused injury to others and extensive damage to his vehicle, other vehicles and to property.’
He added: ‘In driving to the scene, the defendant drove dangerously.’
Jurors heard how PC Fisher drove at speeds of up to 80mph just before the crash. He was driving at 46mph when the smash happened, jurors were told.
Amman (pictured) had served a prison sentence for terrorist offences and there were ‘concerns about the continued risks Amman posed to the public’
Prosecutor Mr Lloyd added: ‘It is important to note that being a police officer is not a defence – being a police officer driving to the scene of a serious incident is not a defence.
‘The law is such that at the time of this incident Parliament had decided that there was one law that applies to all road users.
‘There was no special rule or defence for police officers or to attend emergency calls to drive dangerously.’
Mr Lloyd said that although in certain circumstances police officers are exempt from following certain speed limits, this does ‘not entitle’ them to drive in an ‘unsafe manner’.
Sgt Michael Seymour said police officers have exemptions over speed limits when they are responding to emergencies.
PC Fisher became ill in the dock yesterday morning and was transported to hospital, according to The Sun.