Injured Staffordshire Police officer wins Pride of Britain award

An officer who was run over attempting to stop a driver on the run from police has won a Pride of Britain award.

PC Claire Bond was pursuing Gurajdeep Malhi when he reversed, crushing her against a fence before flipping her in the air and dragging her along the ground.

The Staffordshire Police officer had vital surgery to save her leg after the incident in 2018.

PC Bond dedicated her award to her husband and all police officers.

"To win a Pride of Britain Award, I am totally honoured," she said.

"I still can't get used to it. I was up until 3 o'clock the morning I found out, saying, 'Is this actually happening? This has actually happened hasn't it?'"

She and colleague PC Dave Mullins were called to reports of a car that had crashed into a garage in Coton Fields, Staffordshire, near the route of the town's 10K race on 23 September 2018.

Drug dealer Mahli saw the officers and drove off at high speed, but the pair managed to corner him and PC Bond got out of their vehicle to grab his car keys.

During the ensuing struggle, PC Mullins sprayed Malhi - already a banned driver - in the face with PAVA spray, but he kept reversing, crushing PC Bond between the car and a fence.

"The car started to reverse down and it moved my body round, like I was in a washing machine," she said.

Mahli drove at her again but her colleague managed to pull her to safety.

PC Bond said her legs felt like jelly and her left leg was "pointing the wrong way".

She underwent a five-hour operation to save her legs and has gone on to raise money for a police charity by completing the 10k race - nine in a wheelchair, but managing to walk the final kilometre with a stick.

PC Bond said she still hoped to return to policing.

Phil Jones, chairman of Staffordshire Police Federation, said the force was "exceptionally proud" of PC Bond and described her as an "inspiration".

Mahli was tracked down after the incident and cocaine with a street value of more than £2,000 was found in his BMW.

He was jailed last September for 12 years after admitting grievous bodily harm with intent, as well as various driving and drug offences.

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