Manchester man who attacked police with hammer and axe jailed

A man who carried out a campaign of unprovoked attacks on police officers in Greater Manchester has been jailed.

Theadro Douglas rammed police vehicles during a 20-minute chase and attacked officers with a hammer and axe in Timperley and Wythenshawe on 7 June.

The 32-year-old admitted dangerous driving, unlawful wounding, assaulting an emergency worker and affray.

He was jailed for two years and six months at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court

Douglas, from Manchester, drove his white van into a police vehicle on Mainwood Road, Timperley, causing whiplash injuries to the driver, before speeding off at 23:50 BST, the court heard.

Officers followed him to Broomwood Road, where Douglas got out of his van and approached them armed with a hammer and an axe.

An officer drew his taser and instructed Douglas to drop the weapons, but he threw the hammer, hitting one officer on the shin, which required stitches, before it ricocheted and hit a second officer.

Douglas then ran away, throwing the axe at officers, which missed.

Douglas returned to his van and led a 20-minute police pursuit through Timperley and into Wythenshawe.

He drove on the pavement, on the wrong side of the road, through red lights and rammed more police vehicles before officers boxed in his van on Simonsway.

Before he was arrested, Douglas pushed an officer over the bonnet of a police car, causing them a back and leg injury.

It took four officers to restrain him.

Risha Seth, senior crown prosecutor, said: "Theadro Douglas carried out a campaign of unprovoked violent attacks upon police officers who were simply carrying out their jobs.

"He used his van as a weapon deliberately ramming police vehicles, he led officers on a dangerous chase through residential streets and attacked them with a hammer and an axe.

"Four officers were on the receiving end of his violence that evening, and it is by chance alone that none of them were seriously injured."

Douglas, who also admitted possession of two offences weapons, was disqualified from driving three years and three months.

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