Man broke PC’s wrist in struggle

Matthew Morris was detained for being drunk and disorderly on the night of 1st June 2012 and taken to Chesterfield police station.

He struggled with officers and remained agitated and unco-operative in the custody suite.

Becky Mahon, prosecuting, told Chesterfield magistrates that PC Gareth Buxton thought Morris was going to assault a colleague so he placed a handcuff on him.

Morris, 41, of Ely Close, Worksop, then pulled his arm away and moved towards the other officer, causing PC Buxton’s wrist to twist.

“He felt immediate excruciating pain and a cracking noise. Other officers helped to handcuff the defendant,” said Ms Mahon.

“The hospital found a fracture and he had a splint on for five weeks. He couldn’t carry out simple tasks like writing, cooking, shaving and showering.”

“The defendant was shown CCTV of the incident and said he hadn’t injured anyone intentionally.”

Morris denied the assault but was convicted after failing to attend his trial last month. He admitted a bail breach, after missing a sentencing hearing on 22nd October. He had been jailed in March for dishonesty.

He appeared in court in custody and magistrates imposed another prison term, for 21 weeks.

“He felt the officers had attacked him and he was just trying to defend himself. It was a pulling away motion that caused the injury - it wasn’t a deliberate intent to harm the officer,” said John Wilford, defending.