Bedfordshire police officer seriously assaulted while breaking up a party
Officers were responding to a 20-people party on Saturday night (13 June) in Underwood Close in Luton. As they attempted to break up the gathering, one of the two officers had a drink thrown in his face by a man and was then hit over the head with an object.
The officer required treatment from paramedics at the scene and was taken to hospital, where he received stitches to his head wound. The other officer also suffered minor injuries.
Two women in their 20s, a man in his 20s and an 18-year-old man were stopped in a car and arrested a short time after Saturday’s incident, having left the scene. They were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, assaulting an emergency worker and affray.
All four have been released under investigation while police enquiries continue.
Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Kathryn Holloway, has used the incident as a catalyst to renew calls for people to maintain social distancing and stay at home if they can.
While the rate of infection is low in the East, both Bedford and Luton are in the top 50 local authority areas nationally for the proportion of people infected with Covid-19.
Different agencies across Bedfordshire have noted an increase in recent weeks of groups holding larger gatherings such as barbecues and parties.
Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident.