Paedophile ‘almost killed’ two officers
Horror as paedophile turned violent
Two police officers were almost killed when a paedophile turned violent as he was being driven along a motorway after being arrested.
Christopher Hartley struck one officer over the head with his handcuffs and gouged her eyes as she drove along the M62 at 70mph. Her colleague had a chunk bitten out of his arm.
TWO POLICE officers were almost killed when a paedophile turned violent and behaved “like a caged animal” as he was being driven along a motorway after being arrested.
Christopher Hartley struck one officer over the head with his handcuffs and gouged her eyes as she drove along the M62 at 70mph. Her colleague had a chunk bitten out of his arm.
A court heard the officers believed they were going to die as Hartley screamed, growled and spat out the officer’s flesh as they pleaded with him to stop.
Leeds Crown Court was told Cheshire Constabulary detective constables Victoria Shelton and David MacFarlane travelled to arrest Hartley at his home in Huddersfield on September 7 last year.
Mobile phones, laptops and other equipment were also seized from the property after Hartley admitted to the officers they contained indecent images of children.
Hartley, 44, was placed in handcuffs and put in the car by the two officers before they headed back across the Pennines.
Duncan Ritchie said Hartley and the officers had spoken politely to each other and he gave them no cause for concern.
He suddenly turned violent as the vehicle was in the fast lane at Scammonden.
Hartley managed to undo his seatbelt and reached across to Detective Constable Shelton as she drove the Vauxhall Corsa and struck her with the handcuffs.
Mr Ritchie said: “He grabbed her head and forced it to the side of the car then hit her. The defendant punched her and attempted to put his hand over her eyes. He tried to put his fingers in to her eyes and gouge her.”
Hartley was “screaming and roaring” as the officer struggled to control the vehicle. Detective Constable Shelton managed to steer the vehicle onto the hard shoulder and bring it to a stop.
Hartley then attacked Detective Constable MacFarlane, who was trapped on the back seat with him.
Mr Ritchie said: “The defendant was still screaming and growling and gnawed on his arm.”
The prosecutor said he then spat a piece of flesh at Detective Constable Shelton.
She pleaded with him not to kill her colleague before Hartley suddenly stopped being violent and became unresponsive.
Other officers then arrived at the scene. Both officers spent months off work after the incident due to their injuries and were still receiving counselling.
Detective Constable MacFarlane had to have surgery on his arm and has been left with a permanent scar.
Hartley pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, two offences of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent and eight offences relating to the possession of indecent images.
The court heard he has previous conviction for child sex offences.
Detective Constable Shelton read a victim impact statement to the court.
She said: “I no longer sleep. I can only see the evil face that tried to kill me... coming towards me like a caged animal.
“It was the worst day of my life and I thought it would be the last day of my life.
“I begged for my life that awful day and Hartley ignored me.
“In my head I said goodbye to my three beautiful daughters.”
Hartley was jailed for 14 years.
I begged for my life that awful day and Hartley ignored me. Detective Constable Victoria Shelton.