Norwich security guard left clinging to car bonnet, court hears

A brave Norwich security officer was left clinging to a bonnet of a car being driven by a shoplifter, who was trying to escape.

Perry Chapman tried to stop shoplifter Darren Ding after he stole fragrances from Boots store in Riverside.

Norwich Crown Court heard that Ding, 32, drove his Ford Mondeo car towards Mr Chapman after refusing to stop.

Sattan Al-Mugheiry, prosecuting, said Mr Chapman was knocked on to the bonnet, where he was carried for a short distance before falling off.

"He was left with grazes to his hands and knees. He said he was very shaken by the incident," he added.

He said that Ding later handed himself into police, and claimed to police that he did not know Mr Chapman was a security officer.

Ding, of Suncroft, Lakenham, Norwich, admitted dangerous driving and theft on March 14 this year.

Judge Paul Downes imposed a nine-month suspended jail sentence for two years on Friday and Ding was also given a two- year driving ban. He also had his current drug treatment order extended and was given an 18- month supervision order.

Jonathan Morgans, for Ding, said that the defendant had a long-standing drug problem but had been doing well on a drug treatment order.

He said this latest offence was a "blip" and he had acted in a "foolish and reckless way".

Mr Morgans said: "He was travelling at no great speed."

He said Ding was full of remorse about what happened and had handed himself in to police.

"He handed himself in to police a few days later and put his hands up to what he has done."

A Boots spokeswoman said: "We can confirm an incident occurred in the Boots Riverside store, Norwich, in which a security guard was injured. The security guard has now fully recovered and has returned to work."