A man who punched a police officer and knocked another one unconscious as they arrested him has been jailed.

Jahdelle Williams-Campbell, 20, injured three police officers during a struggle in Woodford Road, Watford, in the early hours of Sunday, August 23 last year.

St Albans Crown Court heard how a Sergeant and two Constables from Watford’s Intervention and Response Team stopped a silver Vauxhall Astra in Woodford Road after they witnessed it driving without any headlights on.

Williams-Campbell, of Elm Road, Wembley, was in the front passenger seat but got out of the car and fled when he saw police.

The first constable pursued Williams-Campbell on foot and detained him on the floor.

However, the defendant punched the officer and bit his fingers before scratching the face of the second PC who had come to his colleague’s aid. 

A Sergeant arrived on scene and swiftly handcuffed Williams-Campbell but was pushed to the floor by the defendant as he tried to put him in the police car.

The assault caused him to hit his head on the kerb and fall unconscious for around ten seconds. He went to hospital for treatment for suspected concussion but was released a few hours later.

Williams-Campbell was searched at the scene and ten bags of cannabis were found on his person.

A Rambo-style knife with a blade between 10 and 14 inches long was concealed in his trousers. He also had three mobile phones, one of which was identified as being used in drug dealing.

He was later charged with a number of offences and remanded in custody ahead of his first court appearance.

He was sentenced to 17 months in prison on Thursday, January 14, after previously pleading guilty to:

  • Assault on an emergency worker (two counts)
  • Possessing a controlled drug of Class B with intent to supply (one count)
  • Assault occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) (one count)
  • Possession of a bladed article in a public place (one count)
  • Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order (one count)

During sentencing the judge also ordered the destruction of the recovered knife, phones and drugs.

Detective Constable Vishal Khanna, from the Watford Local Crime Unit, led the investigation. He said: “Williams-Campbell showed complete disregard for the welfare of the three officers who legitimately stopped and arrested him in August last year. He had no qualms about assaulting them in a bid to get away and has shown himself to be a dangerous and unpredictable offender.

“The fact Williams-Campbell had the knife concealed in his trousers just shows the type of grave risk that police officers face on a daily basis during their patrols. All three officers were back on duty soon after the assault and they now have closure on the incident following yesterday’s sentencing.”