Police in Ballymoney responding to a report of a domestic incident inside a licensed premises in the Seymour Street area of the town on Tuesday 5th March, have arrested a 25 year-old woman and a 31 year-old man for assault on police.
It was reported shortly after 9pm last night, that a man and a woman were fighting inside a premises, causing a disturbance. When asked to leave by staff, they did so but continued to fight outside.
Chief Inspector McIldowney said:
“When officers responded, they located a man and a woman matching the description of the initial report outside the premises. Both individuals appeared to be intoxicated, with visible facial injuries.
“When officers tried to engage with them, the woman became abusive and disorderly and was arrested for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and disorderly behaviour. During the time of arrest, the woman attempted to bite an officer and was further arrested for assault on police.
“The man involved, was also approached by officers before becoming abusive, and he was arrested for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and disorderly behaviour. During arrest, he too assaulted four other police officers, and was arrested for five counts of assault on police”.
Chief Inspector McIldowney continued:
“In total, six officers were injured during this incident last night. The injuries sustained to our officers included bites to their arms, nails being dug into their arms causing broken skin and one officer was kicked to the head and body several times. This officer was left with bruising and marks on his head and behind his ear, with a cut to his thumb and a broken watch.
"All officers were also continuously spat at during the incident, which is not only disgusting but completely unacceptable.
“Imagine showing up for work, day after day to keep your community safe, yet being subjected to this type of abuse – put yourselves in the boots of our officers and think how you would feel. Assaults on police are completely unacceptable and must not be tolerated as simply being ‘part of the job’. Our ask is that officers and the work they do should not be taken for granted – no one should be treated the way they were last night.
“Thankfully any injury sustained did not require hospital treatment and all officers were fit to remain on duty, but these attacks on police must stop immediately!
“At this time, both individuals remain in police custody, assisting officers with their enquiries”.