Mohammed Rasool, aged 44, has been jailed for six years and ten months following a brutal attack on two female police officers in Crawley. Rasool pleaded guilty to charges including grievous bodily harm, robbery, and racially aggravated assault at Hove Crown Court on 19 March.
The violent incident occurred when officers arrived at Rasool’s home on Gossops Drive to arrest him on a warrant for failing to appear in court over a robbery charge. What followed was a savage assault where Rasool gouged the officers’ eyes, bit them, yanked their hair, and struck them with a mobile phone. One officer sustained permanent eye damage. She recalled, “When I felt fingers over my face like a spider trying to locate my eye socket, I feared the worst. I don’t think I will ever forget this.”
Her colleague, who has 28 years of service, described the attack as the worst she has ever experienced and spoke about the terror she felt while trying to protect herself and her team.
Rasool’s violent behaviour extended beyond this attack. The court heard about two separate racist road rage incidents near Gatwick Airport. On 3 May 2024, Rasool racially abused and assaulted a taxi driver. Then on 28 June 2024, he punched another driver through a car window, stole his phone, and fled the scene.
After being charged for these offences, Rasool again failed to attend court, which led to the police visit and subsequent vicious assault on the officers.
Detective Chief Inspector Pauline Lane condemned Rasool’s actions as “truly shocking.” She stated, “The road-rage incidents were appalling enough, but he then unleashed a vicious and sustained assault on officers who were there to protect the public. Rasool is clearly a violent and dangerous individual, and I am pleased he is serving a significant custodial sentence.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
