A man who violently assaulted a Maidstone police officer which left bite marks on his face has been jailed.
At around 11.10am on 21 October 2020, a constable in uniform was on patrol in an unmarked police vehicle in Maidstone town centre.
He was notified of a grey BMW that had failed to stop for another police vehicle and drove to the Mangravet area where it had last been seen.
The officer found the car parked and unattended in Woodside Road and, after watching it for a short time, observed Robbie Booth walking up to it and sitting in the driver’s seat.
The officer approached the vehicle on foot and opened the driver’s door to detain Booth. As he tried to place handcuffs on him, David Hilden approached from behind and punched his face.
Hilden, assisted by Booth, then continued to violently assault the officer who suffered facial injuries caused by bites. During the sustained assault, Booth reached under the car seat and retrieved a black package before he and Hilden ran away.
A second officer who responded to the incident saw the two men walking across a nearby field and gave chase. He caught up with Booth as he was helping Hilden over a fence and arrested him.
Hilden was later detained by another patrol a short distance away.
A police dog tracked the route Hilden and Booth had taken and found a jacket Booth had discarded along with a black case containing cannabis.
The injured officer was taken to hospital for treatment to facial lacerations and bruising.
Hilden and Booth, both of no fixed address, were later charged and remanded in custody.
The two men pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court on 5 May 2021, to ABH and possession of cannabis.
On Friday 16 July, Hilden, aged 22, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment and Booth, aged 23, received a one year prison sentence suspended for 18 months.
The latter will also be required to complete 100 hours unpaid work and rehabilitation activity, and pay a £700 fine.
Deputy Area Commander, Superintendent Jon Kirby, said: ‘This was a brutal and cowardly assault on an officer by two men who thought they could avoid being arrested.
‘However, they were swiftly tracked down by patrols responding to assist their injured colleague, who I am pleased to say is back at work serving the public.’