Racist attacker jailed for breaking police officer's leg

A racist attacker has been jailed for breaking a police officer's leg and shouting abuse at her.

Daniel Forsythe, who was jailed for more than two years, broke PC Safia Finlow's lower leg as he fought off five police officers who were trying to arrest him for breaking a restraining order.

He kicked out and she was thrown to the ground. Her fracture was diagnosed when she went to hospital.

PC Finlow is still on crutches more than a month after the attack and sat in the court as her assailant appeared by video link from Exeter Prison.

Forsythe was stopped in the centre of Paignton because he had breached a restraining order four days earlier by defying a man on going to his 71-year-old mother Barbara's house in nearby Badgers Close.

He became violent as he was being detained by PCSO Stuart Douglas, and PC Finlow was one of the officers who went to his assistance.

Forsythe, aged 32, of no fixed address, admitted racially aggravated assault causing grievous bodily harm in which he demonstrated hostility by referring to her presumed Pakistani heritage.

He also admitted breaking a restraining order and assault by beating of PCSO Douglas.

He was jailed for a total of two years and five months by Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, at Exeter Crown Court and told that one year of the sentence was for his racial comments.