Police officer 'feared for his life' after man struck him with his baton and bit ear

A man battered a police officer with his own baton and bit his ear leaving the constable fearing he was going to be killed.

Darren Davies turned on the PC in darkened woods in Leslie, Fife last September 10.

The 34-year-old launched the brutal attack despite a police dog biting Davies.

The assault only ended when the badly wounded officer was able discharge incapacitant spray into his eyes – although Davies later went on to kick another officer.

He admitted his guilt during a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.

Davies had fled a house after an argument with a woman there had led to police being called.

The trained dog handler went on to find Davies in a desolate area of nearby woods that night.

Davies yelled at him: “You are not going to arrest me.” He continued to be aggressive as the officer tried to calm him.

The officer shouted: “Police with a dog. Stay where you are or I will send the dog.”

But, instead, Davies ran at the constable, wildly swinging punches while shouting: “Let it bite me.”

The dog repeatedly got hold of Davies, but he still lashed out hitting the PC.

The officer tried to sweep his legs away and pin him to the ground.

He called for back-up before Davies grabbed his body armour and was on top of him.

Prosecutor Stewart Ronnie: “[The police officer] struggled to escape. They both rolled down a hill and the officer ended up in a seated position.

“Davies stood behind and began to strike blows on top of his head.

“The officer noticed these were significantly stronger than ones earlier.

“When each landed, he saw stars and felt significant sharp pain on his head. [The officer] was now in fear of his life.”

The constable was stricken on the ground as Davies then bit through the top of his ear.

He was unable to defend himself, but eventually managed to free himself.

It was then he was able to push Davies away and discharge his incapacitant PAVA spray into his eyes. Two other officers then turned up to help their bleeding colleague.

The court heard, after Davies was arrested, the officer “collapsed to his knees, dizzy, exhausted and in severe pain”.

He was then taken to hospital. It emerged he had been repeatedly struck with his police baton.

The officer luckily suffered no fractures, but has been left scarred for life from the injuries.

He was off work for four weeks and continues to receive trauma counselling.

The officer remains conscious of his scars.

The court heard that, after Davies was held, he kicked another officer while in the police van.

Davies – who already had convictions for violence – pled guilty to assaulting the officer to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

He had initially faced an attempted murder allegation.

Mark Stewart KC, defending, said Davies realised he should have stopped when faced by police, but that “one thing led to another and matters got out of hand” that night.

Lord Mullholland remanded Davies in custody as sentencing was deferred for reports.

The judge told him he would have been looking at a jail-term “well into double figures” had he been convicted of the original charge, but that he was still facing a “significant sentence”.