Intense Standoff in Bulwell Ends in Serious Injuries to Two Officers
A 31-year-old man from Bulwell, Nottingham, was presented before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 29th May 2023, facing serious charges after an alleged violent attack on two frontline police officers.
The unsettling incident occurred in Brook Close, Bulwell, and ended with the suspect being Tasered and apprehended.
Response team officers had been called to an assault report on Saturday, 27th May 2023, around 16:30 hours.
After engaging with a suspect, the officers were knocked to the ground, enduring repeated assaults while incapacitated on the floor.
Damian South, the man subsequently charged, is accused of wounding with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault by beating.
Following the altercation, both officers required medical treatment for serious injuries, including facial and head cuts.
Assaults on Nottinghamshire Officers: A Macro View
In the year ending March 2023, the number of assaults on police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) in Nottinghamshire dropped by 10%, totalling 1,143 incidents.
This decrease represents a positive trajectory for Nottinghamshire Police, bringing the annual figure below the national average of 1,229 police assaults.
Common assault is the most prevalent form of aggression against Nottinghamshire officers.
The category of assaults includes:
- Grievous bodily harm (GBH).
- Actual bodily harm (ABH).
- Assault with intent to resist arrest.
- Assault on a constable executing their duty.
Consequences for Assailants and Future Implications
Sentences for those found guilty of police assault vary in Nottinghamshire.
Those convicted of common assaults may face a fine or community order. In contrast, more severe charges such as GBH or ABH often culminate in a prison sentence.
The decreasing assault rate is linked to several factors, including escalated de-escalation training for officers, expanded use of body-worn cameras, and heightened public cognizance of the gravity of assaulting law enforcement personnel.
Local law enforcement continues reinforcing these protective measures, enhancing training on situational de-escalation, and employing body-worn cameras more broadly.
In addition, police are driving initiatives to educate the public on the serious implications of assaulting an officer or PCSO.
These efforts include public information campaigns and collaborations with schools and community groups.
Next Steps for the Case
Meanwhile, South has been remanded in custody and is set to appear at Nottingham Crown Court on 26th June 2023.
Detective Constable Ben Grayson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“These were shocking acts of violence against our officers as they carried out their duties.
“We will not tolerate assaults on police officers and other frontline emergency workers.
“They should not have to suffer violence at any time and, as we’ve repeatedly made clear, anyone who commits offences of this nature can expect to be dealt with swiftly and robustly.”
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At least he is off the streets for the moment. What if guilt is not proven? He will then be freed, which is fair enough because he is currently innocent, although clearly dangerous and probably with plenty of form.
But what if he is found guilty? Whatever sentence he will receive, time on remand will count towards it, plus a 50% discount on what will almost certainly be a laughably weak sentence, meaning that he might well walk free from court.
Here is the big issue. If guilt cannot be proven, an innocent man has spent a chunk of time behind bars for doing nothing wrong. Tough. Suck it up and move on. If guilt is proven, he has done his time and ends up equally free. To suggest that this is remotely just is for the birds.
What should happen is that time on remand must never count towards jail time so the playing field remains more or less level. As things stand, a potentially guilty villain walks free either way and society remains unprotected once more.