This shocking footage shows the moment a police officer is almost badly hurt when she tries to arrest a suspected drug dealer who then suddenly puts his car into reverse.

The operation to arrest 24-year-old Matthew Crofts when he was dealing in his car on Bath Street in Rugby, in eastern Warwickshire in the UK, started with police pulling up in front of him on 3rd March 2021.

With his passenger door still open, as the police officer attempts to make arrest, Crofts reversed at speed, striking a Detective Constable in the process.

The video shows he then continues to reverse towards oncoming vehicles on Clifton Road before then putting the vehicle into forward gear and speeding off.

Crofts made his way to a friend’s house, where he hid evidence of his drug dealing but did not manage to escape a jail term.

And Crofts’ dangerous attempt to avoid being caught came to nothing when officers discovered the address and seized the evidence.

After he was arrested, the 24-year-old from Gill Crescent in Houlton was charged with dangerous driving, being concerned in the supply of cocaine and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

And in Coventry Crown Court, Croft was sentenced to 54 months in prison on 5th August.

Detective Constable Matthew Rapkins of Rugby Proactive CID said: “This was an outrageous incident in which a drug dealer was prepared to put members of the public’s lives at risk in order to get away and save himself.

“He has knocked over a Police Officer in the process.

“Thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt and his efforts to hide evidence was all in vain as officers quickly located the evidence.”