Driver guilty of police murder

Leayon Dudley was convicted of murder and manslaughter

A driver has been found guilty of murdering a police officer and unlawfully killing another after he deliberately rammed their patrol car.

Leayon Dudley, 39, led police on a 50-mile pursuit in his Transit van before mounting a verge and ploughing into the back of a patrol car.

The car exploded into a fireball, killing Leicestershire police officers Andrew Munn, 37, and Bryan Moore, 39.

The jury at Stafford Crown Court heard that Dudley had rowed with his ex-girlfriend outside her home in Birmingham before jumping into his van and speeding off.

'Refused to stop'

A police officer spotted him driving at 70mph along Stratford Road, Birmingham, and a pursuit followed, but Mr Dudley refused to stop.

Pcs Munn and Moore were instructed to lay down a stinger-type device to stop the van as it crossed into Leicestershire and on to the A42 dual carriageway.

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Dudley spotted their patrol car as it made a U-turn in front of him and accelerated.

The two officers were just stepping out of their car next to a lay-by when Dudley mounted a kerb and sped towards them.

The prosecution told the court that Dudley must have seen Pc Moore, who was on the driver's side of the vehicle, but not spotted PC Munn.

Dudley was later found to be nearly twice the legal drink drive limit.

Sentencing Dudley to life imprisonment for murder and 15 years to run concurrently for manslaughter, the judge, Mr Justice McCombe, told him he had committed "appalling offences".

'Weight on my shoulders'

"The verdicts indicate that the jury are clear in their mind that you deliberately drove at that police car on the night in question."

Investigating officer Chief Superintendent Bob Small said of the two officers: "Bryan and Andy were well-known, well-respected and well-liked both within the force and by the local community.

"It is a very sad big loss that our police family has had to deal with.

"I felt there was a very big weight on my shoulders carrying out the investigation.

Dudley was found guilty of murdering Leicestershire Pc Moore, 39, and unlawfully killing Pc Munn.

After reaching their verdicts, the jurors were told that Dudley had previous convictions for attacking police officers.

The judge also addressed the family, friends and colleagues of constables Moore and Munn and said that he commended each of the officers for trying to prevent other road users from being hurt.