Man pleads guilty to assaulting officer and police dog after being challenged over non-essential travel

A man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and police dog after being challenged over non-essential travel.

Officers working for British Transport Police stopped Nelson Nelson, aged 29, of Stonnall Road, Aldridge, West Midlands, close to Nottingham train station on Saturday afternoon.

When they asked him why he was travelling amid the current Coronavirus lockdown he assaulted the officers, leaving one with head injuries so severe he needed hospital treatment.

Police Dog Quantum was also injured as he went to tackle him. He sustained a cut to his chin after Nelson armed himself with a plank of wood with a nail embedded in it.

Nelson pleaded guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm, assault with intent to resist arrest, assault of an emergency worker, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of a bladed article and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal during a hearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Magistrates have now sent the case to the Crown Court and Nelson has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on Monday 27 April.

Chief Constable Craig Guildford from Nottinghamshire Police said: "This is a particularly nasty case where officers who are working hard to engage with the public to ensure that ‘stay at home’ guidance is being followed have been subjected to a vicious and sustained assault."

British Transport Police Chief Inspector Gareth Davies added: “This was a truly horrifying incident which involved a sustained attack on multiple officers and a police dog, all just trying to do their jobs.

"There is never an excuse for this sort of behaviour, but it’s all the more shocking to think this violent rampage began after Nelson was simply asked if his journey was essential."

Police Dog Quantum has since made a full recovery and was back patrolling the streets of Nottingham yesterday evening.