A CHARD man has been spared jailed after he assaulted two police officers leaving one with a broken thumb and needing surgery.

Jordan Jackson, 24, of Millfield, received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended by two years, for the attack on October 29, last year.

The court heard that Jackson had been involved in an argument in the street with his partner Jade when he was approached by the two police officers, PC Thomas Osbourne and PC Adam Rowland.

Rebecca Bradbury, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, said that Jackson’s partner, who is now is wife, had continued “arguing, shouting and swearing” before the officers tried to detain her.

It was at this point that Jackson, who had drunk two bottles of wine, acted in self defence, he claimed.

Mrs Bradbury said: “He grabbed PC Rowland from the side and he put his arm around PC Rowland. He then moved his left arm around PC Rowland’s throat, shouting and swearing.”

The court heard that Mrs Jackson had jumped on PC Rowland before being pulled away by PC Osbourne. The defendant and PC Rowland then fell to the floor before Jackson grabbed the officer’s right thumb and bent it backwards.

Both officers sustained injuries in the incident.

Emma Martin, mitigating, said: “He is not a young man who gets himself into trouble. He was the one trying to calm the situation, telling her to come home. There were no punches thrown by this defendant. He is very remorseful at this incident that happened.”

Recorder Donald Tait said: “Police officers going about their lawful duty can expect courts to take a very serious view of drunks that assault them.”

Jackson was sentenced to two months for assaulting a police officer acting in the execution of his duty and a further eight months to be served concurrently for assaulting a police constable causing him actual bodily harm (ABH).