A police officer suffered a broken leg during an arrest in Ilkeston after a man fell on him during a struggle outside a residential address.
The incident happened in Lathkill Avenue just after midnight on February 25 this year, when officers were called to reports of a disturbance.
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court heard that officers arrived to find Farrie Messan outside a property, sitting in his car. Prosecutor Ruth Stirland said he was banging on the door and making threats.
When police attempted to speak to him, Messan was described as hostile and repeatedly refused to leave his vehicle. Officers eventually managed to open the car door, but he continued to resist.
The court heard that a female officer used incapacitant spray in an attempt to calm the situation. When this failed, a male officer moved in to restrain Messan and attempted to take him to the ground.
As the officer performed the manoeuvre, Messan fell onto him, causing the officer to hear a “snap” in his leg. He was later taken to hospital, where it was confirmed he had fractured his tibia.
The court was told that, ten months after the incident, the officer is still unable to return to full frontline duties and remains on restricted desk-based work.
David White, chair of the bench, said the offence was serious enough to pass the custodial threshold.
“We believe this is so serious it has gone into the level of a custodial threshold, but we are prepared to suspend it,” he said.
Messan, of Gladstone Street in Nottingham, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The court heard that he has no previous convictions and works in nursing.
Mitigating on his behalf, Abbie Edwards said Messan had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
“He accepts he should have gone with the officers,” she said. “It was never his intention to hurt or harm the officer.”
Magistrates imposed a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. Messan was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and to pay £300 in compensation to the injured officer, £85 in prosecution costs, and a £154 victim surcharge.