Armed police officer's colleagues 'stunned' as he was thrown onto car in attempted murder bid, court told

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April Roach @aprilroach2815 September 2020
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A 26-year-old "gunned" his vehicle towards an armed police officer in an attempted murder bid, a court has heard.

Pc Lewis Crowder's colleagues were left "stunned" when he was thrown onto the bonnet of a car in Tottenham on October 29 last year.

Aydin Altun, 26, was allegedly behind the wheel of the dark Mercedes when it charged at Pc Crowder.

Prosecutor Martyn Bowyer said Pc Crowder, armed with a semi-automatic rifle, and two colleagues had been about to arrest the occupants over a shooting the night before.

“The prosecution say what followed after that was truly shocking,” he said.

“No sooner had he positioned himself in front of the Mercedes and raised his weapon, shouting, ‘armed police, armed police, show me your hands, show me your hands’, than the car gunned forward at speed, throwing him onto the bonnet of the vehicle as it accelerated off up White Hart Lane, leaving Pc Crowder’s colleagues and a number of bystanders literally stunned by what they had witnessed.”

The prosecutor said the officer briefly saw the driver as he hung on to the bonnet as the Mercedes sped off in scenes captured on CCTV.

“After a few seconds, Pc Crowder was thrown off the bonnet into the road," Mr Boweyer told jurors. "You will see him quite literally somersaulting onto the pavement, mercifully missing bollards and a bus stop."

The court heard the officer was left in “considerable pain” and “dazed” as he lapsed in and out of consciousness.

He was taken to hospital, but did not suffer life-threatening injuries, possibly protected by the armour worn by police marksmen, the prosecutor said.

Altun, of Suffolk Road, in Tottenham, denies attempted murder and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm over the alleged attack on Pc Crowder on October 29.

He also denies possessing a self-loading pistol and 9mm ammunition with intent to endanger life, along with others unknown, and possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate over a shooting the previous night in Tottenham.

Altun is on trial with his mother Sutan Altun, 54, also of Suffolk Road, and his sister, Hanim Altun, 24, of Forest Gardens, Tottenham, who deny perverting the course of justice.

The court heard the pair told police the Mercedes, which was registered in the name of Sutan’s husband and her children’s father Ali Altun, who was in Turkey at the time, had been stolen.

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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