A man who bit through a police officer’s ear during a violent struggle in Maidstone has been sentenced to three years.
Kalvin Stemp also bit the officer’s arm and spat at him as he resisted attempts to arrest him for drug offences in the town centre.
Stemp was approached by two uniformed officers on 6 November 2021.
They were on patrol in Medway Street and could smell cannabis coming from his direction.
The 25-year-old was informed he was being detained for purposes of a drugs search, and the situation quickly escalated into violence as Stemp tried to flee the scene.
Officers attempted to restrain him but were also met with aggression from several associates of Stemp. They pushed, kicked and punched the officers to help him escape.
The two officers initially managed to detain Stemp but were heavily outnumbered.
Stemp used distractions caused by his associates’ aggressive behaviour to violently headbutt one of the officers before lunging at him and biting through his right ear.
He also bit his arm and spat in his face and hair.
Stemp, along with associates Andrew Smith and Daniel Colegate, managed to run from the scene but were tracked down and arrested on 8 and 9 November.
All three were charged and appeared before Maidstone Crown Court.
Stemp, of Howley Way, Maidstone, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, including causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
He also admitted to escaping from lawful custody. He was sentenced on Friday, 14 October, to three years and two months imprisonment.
Smith, 50, of Skinner’s Way, Langley, Maidstone, admitted a charge of assault by beating an emergency worker and was made the subject of a 12-month community order, part of which included an electronically monitored curfew.
Colegate, 25, of Addison Close, East Malling, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating an emergency worker. He received a community order of 15 months, including 200 hours of unpaid work.
District Commander for Maidstone, Chief Inspector Mark McLellan, said:
‘The level of violence and aggression displayed by all those involved was simply appalling. Stemp bit one of our officers so violently that the cartilage to one of his ears was left exposed, and the attack is likely to leave him with lasting scars.
‘In delivering this sentence, I’m pleased the courts have made it clear that emergency workers need to be protected and that violence towards police officers carrying out their duties simply won’t be tolerated.
‘Being assaulted must never be seen as just part of the job and we will always seek to bring to justice those who leave our officers suffering cuts, bruises, bites and the emotional trauma associated with being attacked on duty.’
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About time the courts took assaulting emergency workers seriously but the other two assailants should also have been imprisoned.
Anyone who assaults and emergency worker should be sent to prison, courts need to take this seriously and dish out meaningful sentences.