A 'reckless' duo launched a stolen wheelie bin at a police car as it drove along an A road in Telford. The 240-litre bin came crashing down on the patrol car and shattered the windscreen. Daniel Hodnett, 20, and a 17-year-old boy have now appeared in court over the 'irresponsible' incident, which happened on January 27 last year.
The Incident
Telford Magistrates' Court heard that Hodnett and the teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stole the bin from Hoop Mill in Hadley and dragged it to a nearby footbridge by the Wombridge Interchange that goes over the A442. The pair then lay in wait for a vehicle to come along. At 1:52 am, a marked police car appeared. Response officers PC Lydia Cope and PC Alex Morton-Nash were inside the vehicle, which did not have its blue lights or sirens on.
Hodnett and the teen launched the bin at the car, and it landed on the windscreen, which caved in over the driver's side. The impact also caused the windscreen wiper to penetrate the glass. PC Cope was able to safely stop the vehicle at the side of the road, and the officers called for backup. However, by the time officers arrived, the suspects had fled.
Injuries and Arrest
PC Cope suffered injuries to her hands and eye. Both officers were taken to hospital for further treatment but were able to return to work the next day. Hodnett and the teenager were arrested following a social media appeal. In February this year, they were charged with five counts of theft, criminal damage recklessly endangering life, causing danger to road users, and two counts of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000. The pair both pleaded guilty to all counts on March 13.
Sentencing
Hodnett, of Clock Tower Avenue in Wrockwardine Wood, Telford, was given a two-year suspended sentence on Friday, May 1, and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. The 17-year-old was referred to the Youth Offending Team. Superintendent Edward Hancox said: “The actions of Hodnett and his accomplice were nothing short of reckless and irresponsible, and I have no doubt in my mind they could have caused serious harm to road users that night. It is pure luck that PC Cope and PC Morton-Nash suffered only minor injuries as it could have had a much worse outcome. Thanks to PC Cope’s calmness she was able to pull the vehicle to a safe stop, preventing further harm to any other road users. I hope today’s sentence sends a strong message that this behaviour will not be tolerated.”
