Why it matters: Kieron Wright, of Fonnereau Road, will be sentenced next month after admitting to punching a road worker, racially abusing another, and assaulting six officers who responded to the incident at around 01:55.
The details: Police were called to Handford Road following reports that a road worker had been punched on the chin and another had been subjected to racially aggravated abuse. The worker who was punched was fortunately uninjured.
Officers arrived within minutes and located Wright nearby in Yarmouth Road. Whilst detaining him, four officers were assaulted, including by being bitten and spat at, kicked in the groin, and having an arm twisted. The officer who was bitten required treatment at hospital.
Another officer was spat at whilst Wright was transported to custody and a sixth officer was kicked at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre.
Wright was subsequently charged with six counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker, one count of assault by beating, and one count of using racially aggravated or abusive words with intent to cause harassment, alarm, or distress.
What they're saying: Chief Inspector Andy Watkins, Local Policing Commander for South Suffolk, said: "Road workers frequently have to deal with verbal abuse which is unacceptable, but being punched, subjected to racial abuse and having to jump out of the way of cars is taking things to another level."
He added: "Assaults on police officers is also something we are experiencing far too frequently and for six officers to be assaulted by one individual in the course of one incident is a particularly extreme case. The officers displayed great professionalism in dealing with this individual and at least he has had the decency to admit the offences at court, where it is recorded that he did show some remorse for his actions."
Paul Feuer, Project Manager at Tarmac – the company undertaking the works on behalf of M Group and Suffolk Highways – said: "I would like to thank Suffolk Police for their prompt action in both these cases and I wish the officers who were injured a speedy recovery. Abuse of road workers is at an all-time high and will not be tolerated."
The bottom line: Wright appeared before magistrates on Thursday, 9 October, where he pleaded guilty to all eight charges and was granted bail pending a sentencing hearing at Ipswich Magistrates' Court on Friday, 7 November.
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