Maidstone man charged over attempts to bite Police officers
Recently introduced legislation to protect emergency workers has been used to charge a man who is alleged to have attempted to bite and kick police officers in Maidstone.
Kent Police was called to a disturbance at a property in Knightrider Street, at around 3.30am on Sunday 19 May 2019. It is reported that as officers were arresting a man on suspicion of breaching the peace, they were subjected to threats and attempts to assault them.
Jack Smith, aged 40, of Knightrider Street, Maidstone was arrested and later charged with two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker. He was bailed to appear before Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on 21 June.
The Assaults on Emergency Workers Act 2018 came into force in November last year and created a new offence of assault against emergency workers – including police, paramedics, nurses and other blue light workers. It also provides tougher sentencing powers for judges.
