Man sentenced for assaulting police officer
A man has been sentenced for a vicious attack on a police officer in Shropshire, which left him with a fractured eye socket.
Jamie Henderson-Jones, aged 26, of Brookside in Wem, was given a two-year sentence for the attack on PC Jack Harper on 10 July, 2024, in Wem.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told during the hearing that PC Harper, who is part of the Wem Safer Neighbourhood Team, was carrying out a mobile patrol with PCSO Liz Walmsey when they noticed an Audi A3 on Station Road. They followed the Audi as it had previously been seized from Henderson-Jones for not having insurance.
Before a vehicle stop was able to be conducted the Audi pulled into an estate, where Henderson-Jones and another man got out the car and started to make their way into a block of flats.
PC Harper followed Henderson-Jones inside and approached him stating he was under arrest, which is when Henderson-Jones pushed PC Harper in the chest. What followed was a careless and calculated attack.
As PC Harper tried to create space between them, Henderson-Jones put his hand over the officer’s face and continued to push him. PC Harper then used his PAVA spray, which was not effective.
The officer has then tried to go down the stairs to exit the building, but Henderson-Jones has followed him and punched him in the back of the head and continued to strike him. This forced PC Harper into a window, with his left arm and upper body going through the glass.
Henderson-Jones has then pushed PCSO Walmsey into a wall as he has fled the scene. He was arrested a short time later by officers who were called in to help and taken into custody.
PC Harper suffered a fractured left eye socket during the attack, which fortunately did not require surgery as first thought.
Henderson-Jones was subsequently charged with grievous bodily harm, assault by beating of an emergency worker, driving whilst disqualified, using a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance and criminal damage to property valued under £5,000.
In September he pleaded guilty to all charges and was today sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
Superintendent Edward Hancox said: “Every day our officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public, showing remarkable bravery as part of their duty. It is extremely disturbing that Henderson‑Jones chose to launch such a violent and cowardly attack on PC Jack Harper while he was simply doing his job.
“I hope today’s sentence gives PC Harper some form of closure and allows him to move forward from this vicious attack.
“We remain clear that violence against police officers is completely unacceptable. No one should come to work to be faced with such violence.
"When an officer is assaulted, it is not only an attack on them but on the safety of the wider community. We will always seek justice for victims and ensure those responsible are held fully to account.”
Henderson-Jones is not associated with the building where the attack took place.
