Police officer taken to hospital for treatment after man closed car door on hand

A man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of a number of charges, including assault on police, after closing a car door on an officer's hand.

It happened on Wildflower Way in south Belfast on Friday night shortly before 10:50pm.

Police said they received reports of a "suspicious vehicle" in the area.

They found a man in the rear of the vehicle and when they approached him, he started to struggle with officers and attempted to close the door on them.

One officer was taken to hospital for treatment to his thumb.

The man in the vehicle was arrested on suspicion of assault on police, possession of a Class B controlled drug and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

He remains in police custody at this time.

A spokesperson for the police said: “Assaults on our officers are unacceptable, and must not be tolerated as simply being ‘part of the job’.

“Our enquiries remain ongoing, and anyone who may have any information which may assist us is asked to contact 101, quoting reference number 2316 of 31/03/23.”

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