By Police officer catastrophically injured by violent prisoner at Birchin Way
An officer who suffered a catastrophic injury is still unable to return to operational duties more than a year after a violent struggle with a prisoner.
Marc Bloomfield, 42, of Elsenham Road was asked to take off his trousers voluntarily in the cell at Birchin Way custody suite in Grimsby on January 7 last year.
A violent struggle broke out between him and the officer, leaving the sergeant crawling along the floor to get out of the cell.
Bloomfield admitted causing grievous bodily harm to the custody sergeant and possession of cocaine.
When he was later strip searched police discovered the Class A drugs.
The court heard how two police officers took several minutes to persuade the defendant to remove his trousers at around 12.15pm on January 7 last year. Police-issue garments were offered to replace the trousers.
Bloomfield was described as “belligerent” and “aggressive”, adding that it would take 10 officers to remove the clothing.
CCTV of the struggle in the cell showed the defendant throwing his arms and legs around violently.
An officer fell to the ground as others restrained the prisoner and removed his trousers.
The CCTV also showed the officer having to shuffle along the floor of the cell to the doorway where he was assisted by fellow officers and later taken to Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital for treatment to a broken ankle.
The prosecutor said other officers later strip searched Bloomfield and retrieved cocaine which had slipped from his buttocks.
A victim impact statement on behalf of the sergeant who was off work for three months was read out to the court.
He said it has been the most painful injury he had sustained in his career as a police officer. It came as he was attempting to move house and that had disrupted his personal plans. He told how the injury had triggered fibromyalgia and had altered his career entirely.
“As police officers, we protect the public. Who protects us?” he said in the statement read in court.
Bloomfields defense said that he suffred from mental health issues and that he is keen to stay of drugs, to which he appears to be addicted.
The judge sentenced Bloomfield to 16 months in prison for his violent outburst.
