A man who deliberately rammed and killed two police officers after a road pursuit later mocked one of them for trying to play "the hero", a court heard yesterday.

Leayon Davi Dudley, 39, from Birmingham, rowed with his ex-girlfriend after a party, jumped into a van and sped off. He failed to stop, and jumped two red lights as a procession of police cars followed him, said Michael Pert QC, prosecuting.

The pursuit ended when he smashed into a police patrol car, setting it on fire and killing two officers who had just stepped from it, Stafford crown court heard.

PC Andrew Munn, 37, took the full impact of the van and was killed instantly in the crash in the early hours of August 15 last year, the jury was told. His Leicestershire police colleague, Bryan Moore, 39, died several hours later in hos pital from "massive injuries".

Mr Dudley, a labourer, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and was told that PC Munn had died.

Mr Pert told the court that Mr Dudley replied "Fuck him", and later told a police officer: "I was driving all right and indicating, but he had to be the big fucking hero. All he had to do was stay behind me, but oh no."

Earlier that evening, Mr Dudley had been drinking at a party before visiting the home of his ex-girlfriend and mother of his two children. He was seeking reconciliation with her but also suspected she had another man in the house, Mr Pert told the jury.

The pair, who had been together for 12 years, spoke on her doorstep in Birmingham before he drove off.

A police officer spotted him driving at 70mph, or 40mph over the speed limit. He followed with blue lights flashing, but although Mr Dudley slowed down to the speed limit, he refused to stop.

Mr Dudley drove on to the M42, where a number of police cars and a helicopter joined in the pursuit, but he kept going at around 60mph. Mr Pert told the court: "It was not a chase. They simply formed up behind him and kept back from him."

At one point a police Range Rover pulled alongside the van and indicated to him to pull over, but Mr Dudley gesticulated at the driver to get back, and then started to swerve across the carriageway.

PCs Munn and Moore were instructed to lay a "stinger" device on the road to stop the van as it crossed into Leicestershire and on to the A42.

Mr Dudley spotted their patrol car as it made a u-turn in front of him and he sped up, the prosecutor said.

The two officers were stepping out of their car next to a lay-by when Mr Dudley mounted the kerb and sped towards them.

Mr Pert said: "Dudley deliberately drove a Transit van at about 80mph into a marked police car as two police officers were getting out of it and they were both killed.

"PC Andrew Munn died instantly. PC Bryan Moore died in hospital within hours from the massive injuries that he sustained in that collision."

Several officers ran to help but could do nothing to save their two colleagues. The van landed on its side and an officer rushed over to remove Mr Dudley from the vehicle.

Mr Pert said: "As that police officer tried to free the defendant, the defendant shouted at him, saying, 'I am holding you fucking personally responsible for this'."

Mr Dudley had to be restrained using CS spray. He was taken out of the van and arrested on suspicion of murder, Mr Pert said.

He was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary where he was treated for relatively minor injuries and was found to be nearly twice over the legal drink-drive limit.

Mr Pert said that in the holding room at a Leicester police station Mr Dudley said: "I know I've fucked up. How would you feel if you found your missus in bed with another bloke? I just wanted to get far away and end it. I just wish it had been me."

Mr Dudley pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing to the murder of the two police officers. Mr Justice McCombe adjourned the trial until next Tuesday.