Terror response police driver made split-second error

The police car did not have its blue lights on at the time because they had accidentally been switched off by one of the occupants, his trial at Southwark Crown Court heard.

The vehicle, which did have its siren on, had been switched to “arrival mode” and only had flashing rear red lights displayed, the jury heard.

PC Fisher was responding to the stabbing spree, along with two other armed officers, which was carried out by Sudesh Amman in February 2020.

Amman, 20, grabbed a large kitchen knife from a hardware store on Streatham High Road and stabbed two members of the public at random.

Both survived.

Little over a minute later, he was shot dead after pivoting to charge at two undercover police officers.

PC Fisher was on a surveillance operation at the time of the crash, monitoring Amman after his release from jail 10 days earlier.

The drivers of the two vehicles PC Fisher’s car collided with, a man and a woman, were left with minor injuries, the court heard.

The female officer travelling in the back of the police car suffered a cut head, and PC Fisher was left bleeding from the ear after the crash.

PC Fisher’s passengers did not have time to fasten their seatbelts, jurors heard.

The officer described the moment he found out the terrorist had begun stabbing people as “pandemonium”.

PC Fisher raced to the scene from Gipsy Hill police station, reaching speeds of more than 80mph, before his vehicle crashed on a bend, the court heard.