Drink driver Chantelle Owen, from Rochdale, pulled Amy Greenwood’s computer along the road for 130 feet as she tried to stop the 36-year-old who was speeding away in her car. The Minshull Street Crown Court heard the officer lose her legs and was dragged across the street by her knees – before she could get to her feet and grab the steering wheel.
Owen, the unmarried mother of three, eventually stopped, but refused to leave the BMW 120D M Sport and had to be forcibly removed. Dramatic body camera footage was shown in court showing PC Greenwood screaming and ordering Owen to stop her car. READ MORE: Teenage drug dealer punches and kicks woman in her home before stealing it He had been detained while awaiting trial, but was later arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol twice in two months. Owen claimed that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from previous relationships was responsible for the attack, but Judge Paul Lawton warned her: “You are not the victim.” The incident happened on December 20 last year when PC Greenwood was called to an address in Bury after reports that Owen was arguing with her boyfriend. Chantelle Owen (Image: Chantelle Owen / Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd) Peter Malone, who is prosecuting, said: “Upon arrival, the accused was seen in a black BMW and shouted that she had asked a friend to contact the police. Police spoke to the defendant on the side of the vehicle and she said she wanted to go home. “He turned on the ignition, but the police believed that the accused was under the influence of alcohol and that he had to undergo a breathalyzer test. She was asked to turn off the car engine, but then said she was not going to get out of the vehicle. ” The PC Greenwood then leaned on the vehicle to turn off the ignition, but at that point the defendant started walking away with the police officer holding the car door. The officer lost her legs and was dragged into the street. He managed to grab the steering wheel and the accused stopped the car. ” PC Greenwood crawled along the road for 40 meters. She was grazed on one knee and red on the other. Read more related articles Read more related articles “Her trousers and boots were damaged and police said she was afraid she might fall under the wheels of the vehicle as they dragged her. At the end of her shift she wanted to go home to her family and was shocked by what happened. ” Tests showed that Owen had 68 micrograms of alcohol in 100 milliliters of breath, almost double the legal limit of 35 mg. She had promised to appear in court but was re-arrested at 7 a.m. on Jan. 22 this year when police were called to a McDonald’s car in Bury, where she was fighting with her boyfriend. Police found that she had driven the car to the burger bar with tests that showed she had 53 mg of alcohol in her system. She was detained again after she claimed that she had been attacked by her partner, but she was pulled for the third time at 4.25 am. on March 2, when a police patrol spotted her speeding. She was found to have drunk a bottle of vodka with tests showing she had 87 mg of alcohol in her breath – more than double the drink limit. A quantity of cocaine was found in the BMW center console. Owen blamed her PTSD for previous relationships (Image: Chantelle Owen / Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd) Owen, of Molesworth Street, pleaded guilty to three counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, dangerous driving, assault that caused actual bodily harm and a separate charge of failing to surrender to police. The court heard that he admitted that he had drunk a lot during all the incidents, but denied that he knew about cocaine. She has been detained at Styal Women’s Prison since her third arrest. Her lawyer said she had a “realistic prospect of recovery”. Owen wept as Judge Lawton convicted her of playing the victim and praised PC Greenwood for her bravery. He mentioned the case of PC Harper, who was dragged to his death by a car leaving the scene of a burglary in August 2019. Sending Owen to prison for eight months, the judge rejected calls for a suspended sentence and told her: “These were very serious offenses. The police were called because others were seriously worried about a quarrel between you and your partner. “When they arrived it was obvious that you were very much under the influence of alcohol, but nevertheless you said that you were leaving the stage. When PC Greenwood tried hard enough to get the car keys, you tried to pull it away by dragging it along the road. Only when he managed to grab the steering wheel did you stop. Chantelle Owen has been jailed for eight months (Image: Chantelle Owen / Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd) “PC Greenwood was completely fearless as it did its best to prevent a drunk driver from endangering the public and it must have been a terrifying experience for this 40-meter officer. “Fortunately, he was not seriously injured or even killed. Undoubtedly, this would bring back memories of a higher profile case involving the death of a police officer. “Courts must protect the police and impose penalties to deter others.” The judge added: “You used to be a good character, but it seems to me that you have made very bad life choices in relationships – you are constantly drawn from one abusive relationship to another. One report says that you now suffer from PTSD as a result of physical abuse. “But you are also a single mother of three children cared for by relatives and because you chose to risk their care, safety and future the way you are, it surpasses me. You’ve put your priorities in the wrong order – focusing solely on yourself. You are not the victim of all this – you are the perpetrator. ” Owen also received a three-year driving ban and will have to undergo an extensive retest. He will serve four months before being released on leave. Get more news from your place of residence directly to your emails by subscribing to the free MyRochdale newsletter here. Read more related articles Read more related articles
