Fury at £20 fine for a thug who broke PC’s arm
A FRONTLINE police officer has hit out at the courts after a thug who fractured his wrist was fined just £20.
PC Chris Daves suffered the injury when he tackled martial arts enthusiast Jamie Polkinghorn during a domestic bust-up.
Polkinghorn was given a minimal fine – and even complained his jacket got dirty in the struggle with the police officer.
PC Daves was responding to reports of a domestic row in Southend, Essex, in April when he confronted Polkinghorn.
PC Daves said: “I dealt with his girlfriend who was very emotional and managed to track him down to a flat. That was when he got repeatedly violent and I had to grapple with him get him under arrest.
“I got him into cuffs, but he pushed against me and it was during the melee that I hurt my hand which was later diagnosed as a wrist fracture, an injury that I’ve had before.”
The officer added: “It’s had massive impact on me personally.
“I’ve been left unable to drive as I’ve been in a cast and it’s stopped me from doing things with my kids, not to mention the impact on my work life.”
Polkinghorn, 27, of Southend, admitted resisting arrest at the town’s magistrates court last month.
He was fined £20 and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £200 compensation.
PC Daves said: “It was just unbelievable. As police officers we go out and put ourselves in danger to protect the public and the courts aren’t even backing us up. I feel incredibly let down and unsupported.”
Last night Steve Taylor, chair of the Essex Police Federation, said: “I was shocked, absolutely shocked by this.
“It would not be right for us to be criticising every single decision.
“The criticism is for the wider criminal justice system. Clearly this individual officer has been let down. a Chris has been let down by the way the CPS and the courts dealt with the attacker. What kind of a deterrent did the bench think this sentence would send?”
The Police Federation is calling for tougher penalties for thugs who attack police and emergency workers. Federation research shows an officer is assaulted every four minutes.
The Attorney General’s office can review very low sentences given by courts but only those that have reached crown court – meaning PC Daves’ case is exempt.