Man sank teeth into arm of police officer who told him not to break lockdown
Christopher Hill was described as the 'lowest of the low' for attacking the female officer, 21, at the height of the pandemic.
This is the shocking injury given to a young police officer who was trying to enforce the coronavirus lockdown.
Christopher Hill was described as the ‘lowest of the low’ for attacking the female officer, 21, at the height of the pandemic.
He bit her on the arm when she and colleagues responded to reports of a street disturbance in Rochdale on April 9.
Hill, 30, of Rossendale in Lancashire, had breached coronavirus rules at the time by attempting to visit his partner’s address.
He lashed out when the officers tried to explain to him that he should not be visiting other people’s homes.
The officer had to attend hospital following the incident in Drake Street and was later discharged and tested negative for the virus.
Following the attack the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Ian Hopkins, tweeted: ‘Words fail me when it comes to some people’s behaviour.
‘This is shocking at the best of times, but during a coronavirus pandemic this is just the lowest of the low. I trust the CPS & Court will now do what we all expect of them!’
On Tuesday, Hill, of Waterfoot, was jailed for 10 months after he admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm as well as assaulting two other police officers in a scuffle and criminal damage to a door.
Sentencing at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, Judge John Edwards told him: ‘The public call on the police to help them when they are most in need. The police have a duty to protect the public but are too often prevented from doing so by individuals like you who choose to attack them.
‘While they anticipate and expect confrontation they do not expect to be bitten to such an extent.
‘This was at the very height of the pandemic and the impact on the officers cannot be underestimated, whether you were carrying the virus or not.’
He said he accepted his remorse and apologies but told him the offence was so serious that it could only be met with immediate custody.
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