A TEARAWAY driver who reversed his car through a shop window will not be prosecuted. The car narrowly missed customers and a shopkeeper when it ploughed into the window at about 10am on Sunday. The young driver tried to speed away in the car, which was f

A TEARAWAY driver who reversed his car through a shop window will not be prosecuted.

The car narrowly missed customers and a shopkeeper when it ploughed into the window at about 10am on Sunday.

The young driver tried to speed away in the car, which was full of youngsters.

Colin Moorman, who runs the general store on the High Street in Stebbing and has worked there for 26 years said: "The driver was trying to do a three-point turn but didn't turn enough and ended up reversing straight into the shop window. Had there have been anyone near the window or worse still just outside, they'd have been crushed instantly."

Mr Moorman said the youth, believed to be from Braintree, looked as though he was going to drive off until passers-by ran to stop him.

He said: "I got his details after witnesses kindly stopped him. But the group in the car were all laughing and shouting and were not at all remorseful at the time."

But what shocked Mr Moorman is the treatment he received from police.

He said after several attempts by the switchboard to transfer the call to Dunmow Police Station he finally got through.

"They seemed quite interested at first then asked if anyone was injured," he said. "When I told them that no one had been hurt they weren't interested any more.

"They said police would not come to the scene as it was not a police incident and that they would not give me an incident number. I was disgusted, this was a serious incident."

He said no officers attended the scene and that had it not been for the boy's livid father offering to pay the repair costs - which are likely to reach £1000 - Mr Moorman would have been left out of pocket.

Mr Moorman said: "I called my insurance company and they told me that unless I had a police incident number, they could not pay me a penny.

"But no matter how much I tried, the police refused to give me one. I just couldn't believe it. Someone had driven through my shop window and they were telling me it wasn't a police issue. Policing in the area used to be exceptional, but recently it has really slipped."

A Police spokesman said: "It is police policy to attend the scene of a road crash where property has been damaged. There seems to have been a misunderstanding on this occasion. Had Mr Moorman dialled 999, an officer would have been sent to the scene. We are sorry for any inconvenience he has suffered.

"A superintendent has been made aware of his problem and an officer will be making contact with him."

Within the next week Stebbing Stores is to be taken over by Stewart Lait, of Stebbing, who will have to move into the boarded-up store.

A police spokesman said yesterday: "No arrests will be made or charges brought.