A teenager who wrote a rap song about his attempts to run down a police officer with a car near a cemetery in Warrington, has been jailed for 40 months.
Tre Freeman, aged 19 of Green Leach Court, St Helens, was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court last Friday, after pleading guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, dangerous driving, driving without a license and insurance along with failing to stop after an accident at an earlier hearing.
He was also banned from driving for four years upon his release.
The officer involved was publicly commended at the sentencing by the judge for her ‘professionalism and brave actions’ during the incident, while also hailing her as a ‘credit to the force.’
The court heard how on 31 October 2020 two officers in a police van attempted to conduct a stop check on a black Vauxhall Astra parked up near to Fox Covert Cemetery.
One of the officers got out of the van and approached the car to speak with the driver.
However, the car kept edging forward, the officer repeatedly shouted stop yet the driver continued to jolt forward leaving the officer no choice but to take evasive action to avoid being struck by the vehicle.
The Astra then accelerated forward, striking vehicles in its path before turning around, revving the engine and attempted to drive at the officer once again.
The car then struck the police vehicle and a wall at the cemetery before driving at the officer once more.
It then sped away from the scene towards Red Lane. Freeman drove in a dangerous manner including going the wrong way down a one-way system in Latchford Village.
The vehicle was later found abandoned on Dig Lane and a forensic examination took place.
The DNA matching that of Freeman was found on the driver’s side of the vehicle along with a facemask which had been left inside.
Further investigation revealed that Freeman had been in the area before and around the time of the incidents.
At 6.54am on 12 January 2021, Freeman was arrested at his home address in St Helens and a number of items were seized including handwritten notes.
The notes were lyrics to a rap song he had written, detailing how he had attempted to ‘run down’ the officer during the incident.
He was subsequently charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, dangerous driving, driving without a license and insurance along with failing to stop after an accident.
Detective Sergeant Darren Reid said: “Freeman’s careless actions could have had devastating consequences which do not bare thinking about.
“Thanks to the diligent investigation carried out by my team of officers, they were able to track down Freeman and identify him as the driver of the vehicle, bringing him before the courts to face justice for the crimes he has committed.”
Chief Inspector Neil Drum, of Warrington Local Policing Unit (LPU) said: “Freeman had no regard for the life of the officer who was driven at several times during the terrifying ordeal or members of the public who were going about their business on what would have been a busy, albeit different, Halloween night.
“I welcome the sentence handed down by the courts which should act as a deterrent to those who think they can get away with this abhorrent behaviour.
“I would like to commend the actions of the officer and her colleague who tried everything in their power to detain the driver during the incident and to also thank all who were involved in the subsequent investigation which has taken a dangerous individual off our streets.”
