A MAN who bit and punched two police officers after they arrested him on suspicion of another assault has been jailed for 39 weeks.
Anthony O’Brien, 40, attacked the officers in what police described as an ‘unprovoked, violent’ assault on March 9 this year.
The incident happened as officers from Northamptonshire Police responded to a report of a disturbance in Chantelle Court, Daventry.
“Police officers come to work every day to help people and protect their communities, and assaults on them as they do their job are completely unacceptable,” said Daventry Response Sergeant Gary Walker.
Officers attending the scene found O’Brien along with another man who had sustained a head injury.
After the victim told officers that O’Brien had struck him in the head with a metal pole, O’Brien was arrested on suspicion of assault.
O’Brien began to resist and after becoming increasingly violent, he grabbed the officers by the throat and bit them.
He also punched them as he tried unsuccessfully to escape.
‘Completely unnecessary’
O’Brien went on to be charged with two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker and two counts of intentional strangulation.
After admitting the two counts of assault but denying the strangulation offences at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on March 11, his case was sent to Crown Court.
At Northampton Crown Court on June 21, he was sentenced to a total of 39 weeks in prison for four counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker.
O’Brien, of Queens Road, Daventry, was found not guilty of two counts of intentional strangulation after the prosecution offered no evidence on these counts.
“Anthony O’Brien’s actions were unprovoked, violent and completely unnecessary,” added Sergeant Walker.
“He caused these two officers physical pain and emotional distress, and I’m really glad to see him receive a custodial sentence.
“We will always seek the strongest penalties for those who assault any emergency worker.”