Jail For Offender Guilty Of Brutal Attack On PC

THE violent offender who attacked South Yorkshire Police PC Dan Lumley, leaving him with a broken nose, permanent scarring and a loss of smell, has been jailed for 20 months.

The horrific assault has proven the case why stronger sentences are required for people who attack officers and blue light emergency workers, South Yorkshire Police Federation said.

Adam Burgin, from Rotherham, assaulted PC Lumley as he attended a disturbance in Pingles Crescent in the town in September last year.

PC Lumley was dragged to the ground and repeatedly punched in the face. Burgin was given the 20-month sentence at Sheffield Crown Court.

The incident has made PC Lumley question his future career with the force. South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said the horrifying ordeal had strengthened the case for tougher sentences to be handed down to people who carry out assaults on officers.

Steve said: “Thankfully, there was a custodial sentence in this case – but was it enough? Not in our view, nowhere near.

“Just seeing the pictures of Dan’s injuries, there’s absolutely no getting away from how horrifically severe they are and what they’re going to leave him with, and then when you see the light nature of the actual sentencing, it really is frustrating.

“We’ve had a lot of public support on this one; a lot of people are behind us and saying it’s appalling.

“Sadly, it’s not an exclusive example, but it is an illustrative example of what our officers are up against.”

The Federation wants to see any assault against an officer which causes them injury to carry at least an automatic six-month prison term.

Steve added: “The overwhelming reaction from the decent public is attacks like this are just appalling. They say for people like this, we should throw away the key.

“For any assault that causes an injury to an officer we want a minimum prison term of six months.

“As an officer, if someone pushes past me and pushed my arm, I don’t expect them to go to prison for that. But if someone punches me in the face or breaks my nose, it should be mandatory six months, no questions asked.

“Sentences aren’t hard enough… there has to be a deterrent.”