A teenager has been jailed for 11 years for pointing a gun at police officers’ heads before shooting at them as he fled in “panic”.

Brian Mudziwapasi, 19, admitted firing at the three police officers in Morden Road, Mitcham, after refusing to be stopped and searched on the evening of February 21.

The teenager who held a gun to police officers’ heads before shooting in panic as he fled is facing years behind bars.

Kingston Crown Court was told how Sergeant Dean Croft and Police Constables Jonathan Case and Jonathan Grabauskas feared for their lives after Mudziwapasi pulled a handgun during a routine stop and search.

Sgt Croft told the court: “I literally saw his right arm come round and he was holding a pistol above his head and I just couldn’t believe what had happened.

“I was just in shock, it was weird, nobody said a word.

“He was moving the gun slowly above our heads from one to the other.”

PC Case, assigned to Morden task force, said: “Brian ran off down Morden Road towards the Volkswagen garage, he then stopped in the middle of the road.

“He turned around, he raised his right hand which was holding the silver gun still and turned the gun flat pointing at myself and DS Croft.

There was a sharp bang and a flash from the gun and I dived to the right-hand side to try and get in cover.”

The court heard on Tuesday how the teenager, formerly of Borough Road, Mitcham, was a repeat offender who was in “close contact with violence”.

He has been shot at before and was present during the stabbing of Mitcham teenager Seydou Diarrassoubba, killed during last year’s Boxing Day sales.

Mudziwapasi, of Charter Road, Kingston, initially denied the charges of possessing a gun and threatening to endanger life, but changed his plea to guilty one week before a trial was due to start.

Paul Rattigan, prosecuting, told the court Mudziwapasi used a loaded Baikal converted 9mm pistol.

Mr Rattigan said: “We know one bullet was loaded in the chamber and was fired.

"If that bullet had made contact with Sgt Croft it is likely there would have been a serious consequence indeed.

“It was brandished to two officers at very close quarters.

"It was pointed down at both of their foreheads while Mr Mudziwapasi was trying to fend them off to avoid being arrested.

“That was prior to the shooting."

Merton police’s borough commander, Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Williams, commended the three officers for bravery that was "of the highest order of the Metropolitan police".

He said: "Whilst fortunately the incidence they were involved in is extremely rare, especially in a borough like Merton, it is a stark reminder of the danger faced by police officers every single day."