Female police officer said she thought she was going to be killed

A man has been jailed for attempting to stab a police officer in Acton and another man jailed for robbery.

Hussam Elhandi, 20 of Ilex Road, NW10 pleaded guilty on 14 March to attempted GBH on a police officer, theft of two mobile phones, attempted robbery, possession of a firearm, possession of criminal property (cash), possession of an offensive weapon (a knife) and threatening a person with a sharply pointed article.

In addition, he pleaded guilty to criminal damage - the final crime to add to a lengthy charge sheet - after spitting in a police van following his arrest.

He was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court to a total of ten years' imprisonment.

A second man, Laurrent Sango, 21 , of Shrewsbury Street, W10, pleaded guilty on 4 April to robbery, attempted robbery, threatening others with an offensive weapon and possession of an offensive weapon.

He was jailed for a total of six years.

During the morning rush hour on 2 November 2015, Elhandi and Sango robbed or attempted to rob several members of the public at knifepoint near to Acton Town underground station.

Police responded rapidly and, having driven with a victim around the area near the station, Elhandi and Sango were identified as suspects.

As officers approached, Elhandi attacked a female police officer with a knife. He swung the knife towards the officer in an over-arm, downward motion, but the officer was able to block the attack. Elhandi made off from the scene.

Sango was caught and detained. He was carrying two phones stolen from victims that morning and a lock knife.

Following an appeal to trace the outstanding suspect, a man came forward saying that he had been robbed by Elhandi in the Paddington area on 30 October 2015. Elhandi had threatened this victim with a knife and stolen his phone.

Elhandi was arrested on 5 November 2015 at the Hammersmith and City Line tube station in Shepherd's Bush. When arrested, he was in possession of a firearm, a hunting knife and around £500 in cash.

At the time of these offences, he was already on licence, having been jailed on 25 February 2015 for a knife offence and an assault carried out in September 2014.

Detective Constable Chris Drover of Ealing CID said: "These two men eked out a pathetic living, using knives to threaten commuters and steal their phones.

"The level of threat posed - and the violence that Elhandi was all too quick to display towards a police officer - showed just what lengths they would willingly go to in order to carry on committing these cowardly crimes.

"I know Londoners are safer with Elhandi and Sango behind bars, and I am grateful to the victims and witnesses who came forward with information to enable us to bring this pair to justice."

The female officer attacked, who is in her 30s and does not wish to be named, said: "The moment El-Handi plunged the knife towards my chest was terrifying and I believed he was going to stab me. All I could think about were my children and how I may not get home to see them.

"Luckily the training I had received kicked in and I managed to block the knife with my arm preventing him from stabbing me.

"Assaulting anybody is unacceptable, I was responding to help a member of the public who had been robbed, but nobody should have to suffer this type of assault. I am pleased at the sentence of imprisonment today and believe this sends out a strong message that assaults of this nature will not be tolerated by society.

"My team and I remain undeterred by the actions of these men and will do everything in our power to make Ealing a safe place for people to live and work."

25th July 2016