Man assaulted off-duty Cheshire police officer pregnant with twins

Jeffrey David Evans, of Llys Pont y Felin in Mold, kicked-off at the town's Pendref Doctor's Surgery, on January 15.

Jennifer Kent, who serves with the Cheshire Constabulary, was in the surgery with other patients waiting her turn.

She intervened and tried to calm him down but he grabbed her fingers and bent them back.

Prosecutor Rhian Jones told North East Wales Magistrates' Court at Mold how the defendant was arrested and then at Llay custody suite assaulted another police officer and a custody detention officer.

Evans - who attended court for his trial but left before it formally began - denied a public order offence at the surgery based on his behaviour directed towards staff member Jill Edge, and three charges of assault upon emergency workers but was convicted in his absence.

He was jailed for a total of five months, also in his absence, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Prosecution costs of £620 with £200 compensation to Sgt Kent were ordered.

Magistrates commended Sgt Kent who is expecting her twins in May.

They said that she had shown courage and had "behaved admirably."

In evidence, the officer said that Evans was ranting towards a member of staff, she felt it was wrong and could see other patients including felt uncomfortable and were moving away.

The staff member politely asked him to leave but he puffed up, moved towards her and was in her personal space.

Sgt Kent said she genuinely feared the staff member would be assaulted, the adrenaline kicked in and she effectively forgot she was pregnant and stepped in to separate them. A doctor also tried to reason with him.

She told the defendant she was a police officer, that what he was doing was wrong and that he needed to leave.

"I tried to placate him," she explained. "All I remember is his eyes. He was very angry."

When she put her hand on his shoulder he told her "don't touch me" and grabbed her hand and pushed three fingers back.

She told him he was under arrest for assaulting a police officer but he went up "like an eruption" and got really agitated.

"I tried to caution him but he just talked over me," he said.

She asked those present to call the police and say a pregnant officer had been assaulted.

"At that point in my mind I thought what am I doing? I put myself at risk."

The officer told how "everyone just piled in then" with doctors and nurses getting hold of him but he would not let go.

Sgt Kent said that she was bent over with her arm behind her.

She told them not to take him down because she would go with him and then she felt someone prize his fingers away one by one.

Sgt Kent said that it was embarrassing that she had put herself in such a position but she said she genuinely never believed "this chap would do it to me."

She added: "I felt so vulnerable."

Two police officers quickly arrived and he was arrested.

In the police station he threatened detention officer Mark Jones and clenched his fists after taking up a fighting stance.

Police Constable Gary Scholes was standing in the custody suite with his arms folded when the defendant was charged and Evans launched himself at him and grabbed at his throat.

Evans denied that he had done anything wrong and entered not guilty pleas at an earlier stage.

He initially attended court and applied for an adjournment.

The defendant left court refusing to watch CCTV footage of the incident at the police station, complained it had not been served on him until the day of trial, and said he would want five days to examine it at home.

He also said that it was against his rights not to be allowed to cross examine Sgt Kent himself but was told that an order had been made that a court appointed solicitor would do that.