A former economics lecturer who ploughed down a policeman with his car during a botched getaway attempt has been jailed for 16 months.

Hassan Chaudhry, of Hermon Hill, South Woodford, was sentenced yesterday (July 1) at Old Bailey after admitting to driving dangerously.

On May 11 last year, the 48-year-old drove into PC James Shopland, who rolled off the car bonnet and onto the road after police stopped his car in Heybridge Way, Leyton.

The officer suffered minor damage to his left elbow.

Chaudhry, who worked as a security guard after coming to the country from Pakistan, sped away from the scene.

He ditched his silver Vauxhall Zafira and fled on foot, but he was caught and arrested in nearby Lea Bridge Road.

The Old Bailey heard that Chaudhry, who used to lecture in economics in his native Pakistan, was a hard-working family man, but his life fell apart after a domestic disturbance.

He was convicted of common assault on a family member and was on bail for the offence when police wanted to speak to him over another domestic disturbance.

Sentencing Chaudhry, Judge Paul Worsley told him: “If you drive in this way when the police are trying to do their job and you strike a police officer you must go to prison.

“Some madness must have overcome you because despite a police car having blocked your car, you reversed at some speed.

“A police officer stepped in front of your car with some courage and put his hand on the bonnet.

“You drove forward and he rolled over the bonnet and onto the road.

“Miraculously his injuries were very slight.

“They could have been very serious.

“Indeed, sadly these courts have to deal with matters where death results from driving of this kind.

“Only a custodial sentence reflects the danger represented to members of the public and indeed yourself by the way you drove.”