Man headbutted police sergeant after domestic row

A man who headbutted a police sergeant while he was being arrested during a domestic disturbance has been jailed for two years and two months.

Morgan Askew, 25, admitted lunging at the officer while he was being put in handcuffs, before directing racial slurs at him and attempting to spit in his face.

Douglas Courthouse heard police had gone to the property on 14 May after receiving two calls from the address, including one from himself claiming his brother had pulled a knife on him.

Deemster Graeme Cook said it was a "savage offence" on an officer who was carry out public service. Askew pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

The court heard the police had been sent to the home in Gorsecroft, Douglas, at about 20:30 BST after receiving the calls.

The first was from the 25-year-old's mother, who said he had assaulted his younger brother, with the second made by Askew himself claiming he had been threatened with a knife.

When officers arrived, the door had been locked from the inside with Askew, who had been drinking, outside the property.

After speaking to Askew's mother, who was inside the family home, the police sergeant told him he was going to be arrested but the officer was headbutted as he tried to handcuff him, the court heard.

Other officers intervened and Askew was taken to the ground and restrained, at which point he threated the sergeant, shouting 'I'm going to bite off your nose" and "I'm going to kill you".

The court heard the headbutt had caused a 1.6in (4cm) gash above the officer's left eye, which needed stiches.

The court was told the injured officer had been left with a "very noticeable scar in a very prominent place on his face".

Askew had previous convictions for common assault and was subject to a suspended sentence when the offence was committed.

Jailing him, Deemster Cook said the officer was "simply doing his job" and Askew's alcohol consumption had been "out of control" on the day the assault happened.

"He hadn't done anything wrong, he was simply met by absolute brutality from you," he said.

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