The police constable, who is in her 20s, was punched to the nose by the youth who was bigger, stronger and taller than her as she tried to handcuff him in order to carry out a search in September this year.
Yesterday (Monday) at youth court at Leicester Magistrates Court, a 16-year-old boy, of Swadlincote, pleaded guilty to wounding of a person namely a police constable. He has been released on bail and is due to be sentenced on 11 January 2021. The youth cannot be named for legal reasons.
The officer had been carrying out her duties in the Ashby area on 12 September this year when she assisted with carrying out a search of the 16-year-old youth who had been detained by other officers in Burton Road due to concerns raised around his behaviour.
The officer told the youth she was carrying out the search on him but due to his behaviour at the time and concerns that he was going to leave the scene, she made the decision to handcuff him.
As she placed a handcuff around one of the youth’s wrists, he then used his free hand to punch her to the nose. The officer described her face being forced to the side and suffering pain she “had never experienced before”.
The officer was taken to Queens Hospital Burton where it was found she had suffered from a broken nose, a broken septum, a deep laceration and tear to the left side of her nose and nostril, significant swelling and bruising. She had to undergo surgery to try and fix her nose and also had to have six internal stitches and 11 external stitches to the nose.
NPA Commander for North West Leicestershire, Inspector Rich Jackson said: “It is not acceptable for anyone to be attacked and assaulted in their job and we will not tolerate this happening to our officers. Action will be taken and we will ensure anyone who commits this offence is brought before the courts.”
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