Ballymena: three people charged in relation to incident in which two police officers were assaulted
Three people have been charged in relation to an incident in which two police officers were assaulted in the Richmond Park area of Ballymena on Thursday (October 17).
Two men, aged 41 and 40, and a 31-year-old woman have been charged with a number of offences including theft, disorderly behaviour, assault on police and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
All three are due to appear at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Saturday, October 19. Police say, as is normal procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.
In a statement earlier on Friday (October 18), the PSNI said two officers were assaulted after they detained a man and woman as they responded to a report of the theft of a “significant quantity of meat” from a store in the location.
Chief Inspector Bryan said: “One officer was struck in the face several times by the woman who used her handcuffs with force, and the same officer also had a clump of hair pulled out, including an injury to her ear and cuts to the head and mouth.
“The second officer involved was pushed a number of times by the arrested man, who also made a number of threats. A second man aged 40, who was also involved in the incident, was arrested for theft.
"Our officers were working to keep people safe yesterday and in doing so, they were assaulted. To be assaulted the way they were and for one officer to sustain such injuries is disgusting.
“Thankfully, the two officers were able to remain on duty to see these individuals into custody, but the lasting impact these assaults can have on our officers can be long-term, and assaults on police must stop.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the local community who witnessed the incident for their assistance.”