Man jailed for shooting hero cop

7:41am Thursday 5th April 2007

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A 23-year-old who shot a police officer hailed as a hero has been jailed for minimum of almost six years.

Dwayne Reid, of Wilberforce House, West Norwood, was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court yesterday of shooting a Lambeth police officer last April.

"Despite believing the suspects to be armed, PC Guppy admirably, and without thought for his personal safety, continued the pursuit."

Police spokesman

Reid had been found guilty of GBH with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and possession of a firearm while prohibited on to do so, at his trial on February 13.

He was sentenced by a judge to be imprisoned for an indeterminate period.

But the judge told Reid if a determinate sentence had been set he would have received eight years for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and 12 years for possession of a firearm while prohibited not to. Both sentences would have been set to run concurrently.

There would have been no separate sentence for the GBH charge.

This means Reid must serve a minimum of five years and 315 days before he can apply for parole.

The officer who was injured by Reid, PC Paul Bennett, was shot in the leg on as he and his colleague Mark Guppy chased two men seen acting suspiciously.

The officers were on a routine patrol in the Angel Park estate area of Peckham in an unmarked police car on April 24 last year. They spotted a silver blue Peugeot being driven "erratically" and followed it.

Within moments the Peugeot was sandwiched between the unmarked police car and a marked police vehicle ahead of it. It crashed into a kerb in Hilda Lockhart Mews and the two occupants fled on foot.

The court heard how PCs Bennett and Guppy left their car and chased the men.

PC Bennett heard a loud bang and radioed the words: "Shots fired - I think I've been shot".

He said the gun had been fired from a distance of about 40 metres.

A police spokesman said: "Despite believing the suspects to be armed, PC Guppy admirably, and without thought for his personal safety, continued the pursuit.

"PC Bennett, who we now know had been shot in a glancing blow above his right knee, made his way back to the abandoned Peugeot."

PC Guppy arrested Reid in Horle Walk and police later found his jacket discarded in nearby wasteland.

Forensic analysis revealed holes in the garment consistent with the entry and exit of a bullet, as well as firearms residue.

The second suspect was arrested nearby and was later charged, but a jury found him not guilty.

PCs Paul Bennett, Mark Guppy and Richard Hall were awarded High Commendations - the Met's highest honour - by Commissioner Sir Ian Blair for their bravery.