Shocking bodycam video shows moment man attacked police van leaving an officer trapped inside during riots

Shocking body-worn camera footage captured a rioter smashing up a police van – leaving officers trapped inside. Luke Moran, 38, was seen on the video striking the driver's window of the vehicle during a mass disturbance on July 30.

He was part of a mob that had descended on St Luke's Road in Southport, after three young girls - Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar - were killed during a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed school holiday club event a day earlier.

And CCTV clips showed Moran in the crowd before the attack, milling around and appearing to incite the disorder, which was near the mosque. He then approached the stationary van where a police officer was at the wheel and first tried to pull the wing mirror off.

Moran went on to forcefully punch the window, making the police officer fear for his safety. And it was impossible at that point for the police officer to move the vehicle away from the scene, meaning he was, in effect, trapped.

Speaking about the attack, the officer said in a statement: “My carrier became isolated and a focal point of the ongoing barrage. I seriously feared for my safety as I was faced by hundreds of men attempting to inflict serious harm onto the police. There was an obvious ‘hardcore’ element of the mob which stood at the front of the crowd who were intent on inflicting harm on officers.”

Moran was arrested on August 14 by Merseyside Police after being identified from the CCTV footage. His initial response to questions during his interview was: “I was nowhere near Zetland Street, St Luke’s Street, mate”.

But Moran, of Birkdale, Merseyside, later pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on August 15. He will be sentenced on August 21.

District Crown Prosecutor Sarah Gray, of CPS Mersey Cheshire, said the footage of Moran battering at the police van door is ‘truly shocking’. She said: “It made it impossible for the officer to either drive away or get out - the level of violence and aggression used absolutely appalling.

"In the midst of the serious violent disorder Moran persists in battering the door and seems absolutely determined to try to get at the officer. He was part of a crowd of people who were attacking police officers who were simply trying to maintain the peace.

"The idea that Moran was motivated to behave in such a dreadful way in response to the murder of three children is extremely distressing and quite disgusting. Whatever he thought his motivation was, he behaved dreadfully on that day and is now facing the consequences."