A MAN who deliberately drove a stolen Land Rover at a Bromsgrove police motorcyclist, knocking him off, later used an afternoon dentist's appointment as an alibi.

But the police discovered Alan Plimmer had turned up early and, because another patient had cancelled, was treated during the morning.

Plimmer, aged 24, of School Road, Yardley Wood, Birmingham, pleaded not guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and an alternative charge of attempting to assault the officer.

He also denied two charges of aggravated vehicle taking and one of perverting the course of justice.

But after a total of more than seven hours, a jury at Warwick Crown Court cleared him of attempted GBH but found him guilty of all the other charges by a majority of ten to two.

Francis Laird, prosecuting, said that in November last year a Suzuki car was taken from a car park in Oldbury and the thieves then drove to Bromsgrove where Plimmer took a Land Rover from a pub car park at 3.20pm.

But the owner saw it being driven away and shortly after he alerted the police. PC Derek Chandler was heading towards Bromsgrove on his police motorcycle when he saw the Land Rover heading in the opposite direction.

He turned to follow it along the Stourbridge Road, and in Catshill a police Astra pulled across in front of the Land Rover - and although Plimmer had time to stop, he did not do so and hit the Astra as he tried to get past it.

"The Land Rover stopped. But Plimmer did not hand himself over to the police. What he did was to put it into reverse and he reversed deliberately towards PC Chandler.

"The Land Rover struck PC Chandler's motorcycle, knocking him backwards and off the motorcycle. Fortunately, he was able to roll away without any significant injury."

Plimmer drove off, with the Astra in pursuit, and when the police car pulled up behind him at traffic lights he reversed into it at speed, knocking it backwards.

He then drove away to an area where the Suzuki was waiting with his accomplice in the driver's seat, abandoned the Land Rover and jumped into the passenger seat.

The Suzuki sped off along Meadow Road and Gibb Lane, then onto the A38 before joining the M5 and coming off at Frankley services, where the police lost it.

When Plimmer, who had been captured on camera behind the wheel of the Land Rover, was arrested in February he claimed he had been at the dentist at the time and produced an appointment card to back up his story.

But the receptionist remembered that he had turned up during the morning and, because of a cancellation, was seen by the dentist before she went for her lunch break.

Mr Laird added that an identity parade was held and a witness picked out Plimmer as the driver of the Land Rover.

After the jury returned its guilty verdicts Andy Smith, defending, asked for the case to be adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Plimmer.

Judge Charles Harris agreed, but commented: "Your client is clearly facing a substantial custodial sentence, and will require all the assistance he can get."

Judge Harris rejected an application for bail and Plimmer, who had previous convictions and was subject to a community rehabilitation order at the time, was remanded in custody.