Kettering yob left police officer fearing he'd been stabbed

A Kettering yob left a police officer fearing he'd been stabbed when he attacked him after Valentine's Day celebrations 'went wrong'.

Connor Smith, 23, lashed out after his then-girlfriend said she didn't want to go home with him in the early hours of February 15 last year.

The attack left the officer on painkillers and landed bin collector Smith with a criminal record.

On Thursday (February 11) at Leicester Crown Court Smith, of Cherry Road, was handed unpaid work as a punishment.

The court heard police were in Silver Street at about 3.30am when they noticed Smith's then-girlfriend who appeared to be upset. They spoke to her and attempted to get an address for her to take her home.

Smith approached a police officer and said he would take her home but she declined, with the yob losing his temper. He then walked behind the officer and pushed him with such force the officer initially feared the worst.

Prosecuting, Ben Gow said: "Without warning, the officer felt a blow to his back.

"He thought he had been he had been punched or stabbed and it knocked him off balance."

Smith, who had been drinking and had taken cocaine, ran off towards Dalkeith Place before, stopping, turning back and throwing his jacket on the floor.

"F****** come on then," he said as he held his arms up.

Police chased him and told him to get on the ground but he refused and had to be struck which a baton when he resisted as police grabbed him. He was then aggressive in the police van and found in possession of cannabis.

Mr Gow said the police officer he assaulted had a painful back and uncomfortable shoulder blade, having to take painkillers for four days, but fortunately did not suffer more serious injury.

He said: "His biggest concern is that he thought he had been stabbed at the time because of the pain that he immediately felt."

Smith, who has no previous convictions, later admitted assaulting an emergency worker, possession of cannabis and resisting a police constable.

An apologetic Smith said he had been out for Valentine's Day with his then-girlfriend and it 'went wrong'.

Mitigating, Lawrence Henderson said: "It was very much out of character, borne out of an excess of drinking, access to drugs and a disagreement on Valentine's night with his then-girlfriend."

Smith was sentenced to a 12-month community order with rehabilitation activities and 50 hours of unpaid work.

He must pay £500 in costs and compensation of £150 to the police officer he assaulted.

His Honour Judge David Herbert QC told him: "I hope you are ashamed by what you did."