Man told police he punched his neighbour then attacked PC trying to arrest him
A Telford man who owned up to punching one of his neighbours and then attacked a police officer while he was being arrested has been given a community order.
Matthew Kelsey, who is 38, initially complied with officers who were trying to arrest him but as soon as handcuffs touched him he threw his hands up and began resisting, Telford Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday.
Kelsey was staying in a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) in Stirchley, Telford at the time of the attack, on June 4, 2021.
Prosecuting, Katie Price told the court that Pc Derren Hind along with other officers was called to the HMO to reports of a disturbance.
The constable said in a statement that was read out to the court: "There were concerns that a man by the name of Matthew had assaulted a fellow housemate.
"A man [Matthew Kelsey] had blood on his knuckles. He said: 'I punched him in the face'."
The officers went to arrest the man, and at first he complied by presenting his hands behind him ready to be restrained, the court heard.
However, "as soon as the metal touched his skin", the officer said, he began raising his hands. He then became "agitated" and resisted arrest.
The officers worked together to "take him to the floor" but "he was very strong", the statement said.
They began hitting Kelsey with "distraction blows" to the shoulder and head before he "exploded outwards", throwing officers off of him, the constable's statement said.
"He was on top of me and punched me twice to the side of my head, causing swelling and bruising."
The officer later went to A&E and was found to have swelling and bruising to his head.
Representing Kelsey in court, Steven Meredith said that before the police arrived at the HMO he had "confronted" someone who he said had broken into his room and stolen belongings.
Mr Meredith said that Kelsey raised his hands when being arrested as if to say "wait, wait, wait" because he wanted to lock his room before going with the officers.
He said that once police began hitting Kelsey with "distraction blows" he was of the opinion he was being assaulted.
Magistrates imposed an 18-month community order consisting of rehabilitation activity days and a curfew to last three months, keeping him at home between 7pm and 6am.
Kelsey, now of Church Road in Lilleshall, was ordered to pay £400 in costs and compensation to Pc Hind of £100.
