A detective had to cling on to an open car door for 40 feet after the driver “panicked” and made his escape.
William Cressy, 48, did not realise she was a plain clothes police officer and believed he was going to be robbed, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.
The officer eventually fell to the ground when the car mounted the pavement on Don Street in Old Aberdeen before William Cressy drove off.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that police officers had reason to approach a vehicle driven by Cressy parked on Don Street around 1.15pm on July 24 last year.
He said one officer approached the car “in plain clothes, albeit she had her police lanyard round her neck and radio in her hand”. The fiscal said: “She ended up effectively in between the driver’s door and the car, the door being ajar.
“There was no suggestion the accused said anything, but effectively he started the engine and then the officer said ‘no, turn off the car’.
“At that point in time the officer is, effectively, what’s described as ‘swept along’ for approximately 13 metres.
“She initially is able to run alongside the vehicle but she then is holding on to the door and can’t keep up.
“Her trainers are basically scuffing along the floor. The vehicle ends up reversing diagonally across the road and mounts the pavement.
“The officer is dislodged out of where she’s effectively been caught and then the accused makes off.”
Keep up to date with the latest news with The Evening Express newsletter
The officer was not seriously injured but suffered soreness and bruising to both feet, grazing to her left hand and arm, and her trainers were damaged. She was also left “upset” and in a “distressed” state.
Mr Townsend said when Cressy was traced he said he “panicked”.
The fiscal said: “He said ‘I thought I was going to get robbed. I stuck my car into reverse and drove off’.
“He claimed not to know the officer was a police officer.”
Cressy, whose address was given as Ramsay Crescent, Aberdeen, pled guilty to culpably and recklessly reversing his car when the female detective constable was standing at the open driver’s door, causing her to be swept along for approximately 40 feet whereby she fell to the ground to her injury.
Defence agent George Mathers said his client was currently on methadone, adding: “Mr Cressy did not know that the lady was a police officer.”
Sheriff Graeme Napier said: “It doesn’t matter that she was a police officer. It’s a ridiculous thing to do.”
Mr Mathers went on: “Asked if he intended to injure her he said ‘of course not’.
“Asked ‘do you feel remorse for your actions?’ he said ‘of course I do. I thought I was in danger’.”
He added his client “very much regrets” the incident and had handed himself in at the police station.
Sheriff Napier deferred sentence until next month for a social work report to be prepared.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.