On Monday, August 22, a jury found James Wilson, 33, of Albert Road, Hanham, guilty of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.
He was also found guilty of assaulting an emergency worker, driving while intoxicated or high on drugs, failing to provide a breath specimen, and driving without insurance.
On Wednesday, December 22, 2017, at around 17.00, police were called after a black BMW crashed into several parked cars on Lulworth Crescent in Emersons Green, with Wilson seen exiting the driver’s side door.
Soon after, PC Luke Watson arrived and discovered Wilson at the scene, claiming he ‘found his car like that.’ He was placed in the back of a police car and subjected to a breathalyser test.
The offender attempted to gouge PC Watson’s eye in an attempt to flee, but officers arrived in time to pull Wilson off their colleague.
PC Craig Waters was also yelled at during the incident. When he was arrested, he refused to provide a sample.
He was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison after his actions caused PC Watson to be out of work for more than two weeks due to severe swelling and bruising around his right eye.
The sentence reflects the severity of the crime and how seriously the courts take these matters,” said investigating officer PC Alex Higham. Violence against anyone, especially emergency personnel who are there to protect and serve the public, will not be tolerated.
“PC Watson was extremely fortunate not to lose his eye or sustain permanent damage, which could have occurred if his two colleagues had not intervened.”
