A drunken mum dragged a policewoman along the road with her car as she tried to dodge being arrested - in a case with chilling echoes of PC Andrew Harper's killing.
Drink driver Chantelle Owen, from Rochdale, pulled PC Amy Greenwood along the street for 130 feet as she tried to stop the 36-year-old speeding away in her car. Minshull Street Crown Court heard that the officer lost her footing and was dragged along the road by her knees - before she managed to haul herself up on her feet and grab the steering wheel.
Single mum-of-three Owen eventually stopped, but refused to get out of the BMW 120D M Sport and had to be forcibly removed. Dramatic bodycam footage showing PC Greenwood screaming and ordering Owen to stop her car was played in court.
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She had been bailed while awaiting trial, but was then caught drink driving twice in two months. Owen claimed her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from past relationships was to blame for her offending, but Judge Paul Lawton warned her: "You are not the victim."
The incident occurred on December 20 last year after PC Greenwood was called to an address in Bury following reports Owen was having an argument with her boyfriend.
Peter Malone, prosecuting, said: ''Upon arrival the defendant was seen in a black BMW and shouting that she had asked a friend to contact the police. The officers spoke to the defendant at the side of the vehicle and she said she wanted to go home.
''She switched on the ignition but the officers believed the defendant was under the influence of alcohol and that she should be breathalysed. She was asked to switch the car engine off but she then said she was not going to exit the vehicle.
''PC Greenwood then leant into the vehicle to turn off the ignition but at that point the defendant started to drive off with the officer holding onto the car door. The officer lost her footing and was dragged along the road. She managed to grab the steering wheel and the defendant stopped the car.
''PC Greenwood was dragged along the road for 40 metres. She was left with grazing to one knee and redness to the other.
"Her uniform trousers and boots were damaged and the officers said she was terrified of falling under the wheels of the vehicle whilst she was being dragged. At the end of her shift she wanted to get home to her family and was shocked at what happened.''
Tests showed Owen had 68 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, almost twice the legal limit of 35mg. She was bailed to attend court, but was arrested again at 7am on January 22 this year when police were called to a McDonalds drive thru in Bury, where she was fighting with her boyfriend.
Officers discovered she had driven the car to the burger bar with tests showing she had 53mg of alcohol in her system. She was baled again after claiming she had been assaulted by her partner, but was pulled over for a third time at 4.25am on March 2 when a police patrol spotted her speeding.
It emerged she had drunk a bottle of vodka with tests showing she had 87mg of alcohol in her breath - more than twice the drink drive limit. A quantity of cocaine was found in the central console of the BMW.
Owen, of Molesworth Street, admitted three charges of drink driving, dangerous driving, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and a separate charge of failing to surrender to police. The court heard she admitted drinking heavily in the run to all the incidents but denied knowledge of the cocaine.
She had been in custody at Styal women's prison since her third arrest. Her lawyer said she had a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation'.
Owen wept as Judge Lawton condemned her for playing the victim and praised PC Greenwood for her bravery. He cited the case of PC Harper, who was dragged to his death by a car fleeing the scene of a burglary in August 2019.
Sending Owen to prison for eight months, the judge rejected pleas to impose a suspended sentence and told her: ''These were very serious offences. Police had been called because others were seriously concerned about an argument between you and your partner.
''When they arrived it was obvious you were heavily under the influence of alcohol but despite that you said you were leaving the scene. When PC Greenwood tried quite properly to get the keys to the car, you sought to drive away dragging her along the road. It was only when she managed to grab the steering wheel that you stopped.
''PC Greenwood was entirely fearless as she did the best she could to prevent a drunk driver putting the public at risk and it must have been a terrifying experience for that officer who was dragged for 40 metres.
''It is only by pure good fortune that she was not seriously injured or even killed. No doubt this would have brought back memories of a certain more high profile case which involved a police officer dying. The courts need to protect the police and pass sentences to deter others.''
The judge added: ''You are of previous good character but it seems to me you have made very poor life choices in relationships - constantly gravitating from one abusive relationship to another. A report says you are now suffering from PTSD as a result of physical abuse.
''But you are also a single mother of three children who are being cared for by relatives and why you chose to jeopardise their care, security and future in the manner you have, is beyond me. You have put your priorities completely in the wrong order - focusing entirely on yourself. You are not the victim in all this - you are the perpetrator. ''
Owen was also banned from driving for three years and will have to sit an extended re-test. She will serve four months before being freed on licence.
