Two police officers in a patrol car driven deliberately at a man who later died falsely claimed that they thought he had been armed, a jury was told.

Michael Powell (pictured), who died in hospital after being detained outside his Birmingham home, was deliberately driven into by the patrol car, sprayed with CS gas and then taken unconscious into custody, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Ten West Midlands Police officers went on trial yesterday in connection with the death of 38 year-old Mr Powell on September 7 2003.

Mr Powell, who suffered from mental illness, was held by police after his mother phoned 999 in the early hours to report a disturbance at their house, the court was told.

Courtenay Griffiths QC, prosecuting, said Mr Powell had smashed a window at the property and a patrol car with constables Tim Lewis and David Hadley was first on the scene. Lewis was driving and his colleague was a passenger.

"In the minutes that followed they deliberately drove the police vehicle at Mr Powell causing him to collide with it," said Mr Griffiths.

"After the event, they sought to justify this inherently dangerous driving which caused an obvious risk of serious injury to Mr Powell, claiming they thought he was armed with a gun."

Analysis of the evidence, said the lawyer, suggested this claim was false and made up after the event.

The prosecution claims the subsequent use of CS gas and a baton on Mr Powell "were neither necessary nor reasonable" and that officers should have called for an ambulance rather than taking him to Thornhill road police station in Handsworth.

"There was by any standards a failure to respond to an emergency," said Mr Griffiths.

His condition deteriorated on the way to the station and he was pronounced dead at hospital shortly afterwards, the jury heard.

The ten defendants deny all the charges, ranging from dangerous driving to assault and failing in their duty of care.

The trial continues.

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