Northern Ireland

Police officer bitten while responding to Derry incident

Four police officers were attacked while responding to an incident at Strathfoyle on Thursday.
Four police officers were attacked while responding to an incident at Strathfoyle on Thursday. Four police officers were attacked while responding to an incident at Strathfoyle on Thursday.

A POLICE officer has been bitten and three others kicked in an incident at Strathfoyle in Derry.

The officers were investigating reports that two men had been attempting to open the doors of properties at Bawnmore Place on Thursday morning. A PSNI spokesman said the officers were carrying out a search and found the men lying on the ground.

“At this time, one of the men was unconscious, requiring officers to carry out CPR on him. He was subsequently taken to hospital by the ambulance service,” the spokesman said.

A 31-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of burglary, attempted burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified, driving with excess alcohol in breath and driving without insurance. While the arrest was being carried out, the officers came under attack.

The PSNI spokesman said: “No-one should go to work and be assaulted. It’s completely unacceptable and these atrocious attacks illustrate the very real dangers our officers can be confronted with at any time.”

On Monday, chief constable, Simon Byrne revealed that 43 officers were assaulted in the previous seven days. Officers suffered broken fingers and a dislocated knee while others were spat on. A PSNI officer suffered stab wounds to his neck while assisting a vulnerable person at a property at Ormeau Road in Belfast on Wednesday.