Police officer punched in the mouth during Wakefield Pinderfields fracas

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A police officer was punched in the mouth following a fracas outside Pinderfields Hospital.

PAVA spray had to be used to stop Craig Price after he threw the “very heavy punch”, before swinging at the second officer.

A 999 call was made shortly before 6pm on August 8, 2022, to a disturbance outside the the hospital’s main entrance, Leeds Crown Court heard.

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When the officers arrived, 34-year-old Price tried to flee. When the officer caught up with him, Price put his hands behind his back.

National World

The officer took his arm to handcuff him, but he then lashed out, striking the officer to the face and leaving blood pouring from his mouth.

Price then tried to hit the second officer but missed, before trying to run off towards the hospital car park. The incapacitant spray was used and Price fell to the floor and was retrained.

The officer required stitches to his lip. Price, of Citylodge Hotel, Lower Warrengate, Wakefield, later admitted a charge of ABH.

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He has 46 previous convictions for 116 offences. Mitigating, Timothy Jacobs said Price suffered from emotionally-unstable anti-social personality disorder, but was now more stable.

Judge Geoffrey Marson KC told Price: “It caused a nasty cut to the side of his mouth. It’s perfectly obvious it was a very heavy punch indeed.

“In normal circumstances a very substantial prison sentence would have followed for an assault on an officer. Your case is rather different.

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“It’s perfectly clear you have significant mental disorder that reduced your culpability.”

He gave him a two-year community order, 30 rehabilitation days and ordered to pay £750 compensation to the officer.

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