An Anerley man charged with wounding a policewoman after speeding backward into a police car denied the charges today.

Ricky Johnson, 32, also known as Ricky Preddie, was arrested last month in connection with the incident in northwest London in November.

Police say a black Alfa Romeo with tinted windows was stopped in Wembley, before careering down the pavement in reverse and colliding with a police car on November 6.

The policewoman, PC Natalia Trzeciak, was getting out of the police car when the stopped car reversed into the passenger door, trapping her by the neck.

The driver of the car then sped off, leaving PC Trzeciak with a neck injury and a punctured leg, which required stitching.

The court heard how PC Trzeciak feared for her life after the crash.

Judge Rosa Dean said: "This is a very serious allegation. The officer thought she was going to die."

The officer was attended at the scene by paramedics before being taken to hospital, where her she was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Johnson is charged with dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and unlawful wounding.

Appearing at Harrow Crown Court today dressed in a grey tracksuit, he spoke only to confirm his name, British nationality and address and to plead not guilty to all three counts.

Five minutes or so after the crash, the suspect reportedly discarded several items on the side of a road, before leaving the scene.

Judge Dean said that Johnson would be remanded in custody until his trial, which is set for 11 May 2020 at Harrow Crown Court.

At an earlier hearing at Willesden Magistrate's Court, prosecutors revealed that PC Trzeciak had suffered permanent scarring in the crash.

Prosecutor Sarah Gabay said: "The officer's neck got trapped between the car and the passenger door and the other officers heard her cry out in pain."

PC Trzeciak sustained a puncture injury to the left calf which had to be stitched up after flesh was lost, with the resulting injury likely to receive permanent scarring.