Community officer run down by suspect's car

A police community support officer is recovering in hospital after being run over by a suspect.

The male officer, aged around 50, was investigating a complaint about drug dealing in a car park in Plaistow, east London, when he was hit by a Nissan Primera after attempting to talk to the driver last night.

The Metropolitan Police said he was taken by ambulance to hospital, where he was said to be in a serious but stable condition.

The driver of the Primera drove off.

In a separate incident last Friday, Detective Constable Catherine Corbett suffered serious head injuries when she was run down as she tried to detain a fraud suspect near Heathrow Airport in west London.

Scotland Yard said the Primera driver wanted for questioning over last night's incident is a man in his early 20s.

A spokesman said it is understood that a female passenger was also in the car at the time of the incident.

Police said the collision took place shortly before 7.30pm last night in North Street, opposite Plaistow Library, and is being treated by police as grievous bodily harm.

The officer was taken to an east London hospital with injuries to his face and body.

His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Abbas Boran, 47, was working at his nearby off licence at the time of the incident. He said he saw two officers enter the area in which the alleged drug dealers were, each officer using a different entrance.

One or two minutes later, he saw the red car leave and speed off down a nearby road.