A WANTED fugitive was at large for six months before subjecting police officers to a ‘prolonged and sustained attack’ when he was finally caught.

Lewis Walker, from Birchwood, was locked up for 24 weeks at Warrington Magistrates Court on Wednesday, June 22, over the incident.

The court heard that the 30-year-old had originally been handed a four-week imprisonment suspended for two years by magistrates in October 2020 after being convicted of two counts of assault, committed the previous month against two women.

As part of this order, he was required to take part in a rehabilitative relationships programme.

But when attending a session as part of this scheme in November 2021, Walker had to be removed ‘due to unacceptable behaviour’ and became wanted by Cheshire Police as a result.

The force issued a public appeal for information on his whereabouts in April this year, when he still remained outstanding.

When police carried out an operation in order to ensnare him in the early hours of Monday, May 23, on Pasture Lane in Longbarn, the 6ft6 tall man assaulted and injured two officers in a bid to avoid being detained in what was described as an ‘unprovoked attack of a serious nature’.

Walker, of Redshank Lane, subsequently appeared before the court two days later and was caged for seven weeks after admitting failing to comply with a suspended sentence order.

He was brought before magistrates again this week, and pleaded guilty to two further counts of assaulting an emergency services worker.

The defendant was also told to pay £400 in compensation to the PCs.