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MAN WHO TRIED TO ROB OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER HANDED SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCE ^ CRAWLEY, SUSSEX

A man who attempted to rob an off-duty police officer at a level crossing in Crawley has been handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Matthew Khan (24), of Maiden Lane, Crawley, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court after pleading guilty to attempted robbery at an earlier hearing in July.

Detective Constable Rob Cager, of British Transport Police (BTP), said: ^Just before 1.45pm on Monday, 15 February, an off-duty Sussex Police officer reported that Khan had tried to rob him while they waited at the Horsham Road level crossing in Crawley. Khan approached the officer and asked him for 50p before upping his demand to five pounds. When Khan threatened to punch the officer in the face unless he complied, the officer produced his warrant card and said ^That would be silly, I^m a police officer.^

Khan immediately replied that he didn^t mean it and that he had only been joking, but the officer took him aside and detained him until other officers arrived. Khan was arrested and taken to Crawley police station for further questioning by BTP detectives, where he continued to insist he had been joking the entire time. After being released on police bail, he was later charged with attempted robbery.

DC Cager added: ^Khan wasn^t counting on his violent threat being met with the production of a warrant card and, not surprisingly, he immediately backed down, insisting that he was joking. Nonetheless, his behaviour was aggressive and threatening and had this been a member of the public rather than a police officer his demands for money may well have been met."