A MAN has been arrested after a member of the public and four police officers were assaulted in Co. Armagh.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday in Portadown, during which the man spat, kicked, urinated and attempted to bite officers.
He also brandished an imitation firearm as police attempted to arrest him.
“Assaults on our officers, who are there to keep people safe and serve the community, will not be tolerated,” said Chief Inspector Brendan Green.
Specialist officers deployed
Police initially responded to a report of an assault in the Thomas Street area shortly before 12.50am on Saturday.
Officers attended and located a man in his 20s with head injuries, which are believed to have been caused when he was hit with a glass bottle.
The suspect, who was inside a property in the area armed with a number of weapons, pointed what was believed to be a gun at attending officers.
Specialist officers were then deployed and the 31-year-old man was arrested at around 1.50am on suspicion of a number of offences.
These included making use of a firearm to resist arrest, possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, attempted wounding with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The weapon thought to have been a gun was later determined to be an imitation firearm.
Assaults
“During the arrest, the man assaulted four police officers; this included spitting, kicking, urinating and attempting to bite them,” said CI Green.
“Thankfully they were able to remain on duty, and the man was further arrested on suspicion of four counts of assault on police.”
He added: “While thankfully none of the officers received any serious injuries, this could have been a very different outcome.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101, quoting reference 56 of April 27.