Police officer left with shocking injuries after being punched in the face by teenager

Police have released pictures of the horrific facial injuries suffered by a female officer during a stop and search of a 16-year-old boy.

The officer, who has not been named but is in her 20s, was left needing surgery to her face after she was punched by the teen when she tried to restrain him.

Leicestershire Police released shocking pictures of the officer, who was left with a deep gash on her nose, after the teenager admitted an offence of wounding during the incident in Ashby, Leicestershire, on 12 September.

The boy, from Swadlincote, Derbyshire, will be sentenced on 11 January.

Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard that the boy, who was considerably bigger than the officer, punched her in the nose as she tried to restrain him.

She needed three months off work following the assault and still struggles to breathe properly through her nose, the court heard.

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“It does make me angry that I was out doing my job and I have been attacked in this way,” the officer said.

“It shouldn’t be accepted that I am attacked in my job and left with injuries like this that will be with me for the rest of my life.”

The officer, who was helping colleagues during a stop and search operation, was punched by the youth as she tried to handcuff him.

She said: “It happened so quickly and I didn’t know what had hit me. I just felt extreme pain and realised I couldn’t see properly either.”

She was rushed to Queens Hospital Burton where it was found she had suffered a broken nose, a broken septum, a deep laceration and tear to the left side of her nose and nostril as well as significant swelling and bruising.

She underwent surgery in an attempt to repair her damaged nose and had six internal stitches as well as 11 external stitches.

She said: “I do hope to be able to be back out at some point working operationally but at the moment it is a case of seeing how things are and seeing how I feel.”

Inspector Rich Jackson said: “This was a horrific assault carried out on an officer who was simply doing her job.

“The attack was carried out by a person who was bigger, taller and stronger meaning that one punch caused horrendous long-term injuries.”

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