A man and a teenage boy have been sentenced after hurling a wheelie bin from a footbridge onto a moving police car in Telford, West Mercia. The incident, which took place in the early hours of Tuesday 28 January on the A442 near the Wombridge Interchange, caused serious damage and injuries to police officers, highlighting dangers to road users and law enforcement.
Wheelie Bin Assault
Daniel Hodnett, 20, from Wrockwardine Wood, and a 17-year-old boy stole a 240-litre wheelie bin from Hoop Mill in Hadley on the evening of Monday 27 January. They dragged it to a footbridge over the A442 to wait for a vehicle to pass below.
Police Car Targeted
At around 1.52am, a marked police car carrying response officers PC Lydia Cope and PC Alex Morton-Nash was conducting a routine patrol without blue lights or sirens. As it passed under the bridge, the bin was thrown into the air, smashing the windscreen and causing it to cave in on the driver’s side. A windscreen wiper pierced the glass.
Officer Injuries And Safe Stop
PC Cope managed to safely stop the vehicle despite injuries to her hands and eye. Both officers were taken to the hospital for treatment but returned to work the next day. Reinforcements arrived on the scene, but the suspects had fled.
Charges Attack
Following a social media appeal, Hodnett and the teenager were arrested on 2 February and charged later that month. They pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates’ Court on 13 March to multiple offences, including criminal damage, reckless endangerment of life, causing danger to road users, and theft.
Sentencing Outcomes
On 1 May, Hodnett received a two-year suspended sentence and 150 hours of unpaid work. The 17-year-old was referred to the Youth Offending Team.
