Off-duty PC knocked unconscious

3:10pm Monday 25th August 2008

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AN OFF-DUTY police officer was knocked unconscious during a street robbery, a court heard.

Matthew Mortimer, 20, of The Avenue, Westbury, was jailed for two years at Swindon Crown Court on Friday after admitting a charge of robbery.

The court heard how Mortimer attacked Claire Heathcote from behind in the Bradley Road area of Trowbridge, knocking her to the ground rendering her unconscious.

Mortimer was then seen straddling the woman and raining punches on her during the drunken attack last month.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said the victim was walking home from a friend's house at about 2am on Wednesday July 16 when the violent attack happened.

She first became aware of her attacker when he grabbed the hood of her top from behind and pulled it over her head, knocking her to the ground.

"She was almost certainly knocked unconscious and the account is then taken up by a man who was watching from his bedroom window," he said.

"He saw this defendant force Miss Heathcote to the ground. He watched as the defendant straddled Miss Heathcote and threw punches towards her head as she lay on the ground "The police were called and she was then aware of seeing her uniformed colleagues arrive surrounding and helping her. She was very distressed by the matter."

He said Mortimer was found a short distance away and had her handbag, which had been taken in the robbery.

When questioned by police he accepted what he had done and that it was wrong.

Mike Pulsford, defending, said his client did not accept throwing the punches on the lady as she was on the ground.

The victim complained of bruising to the shoulder and elbow consistent with a fall and said nothing about the result of punches to the face.

He said despite suffering from dyslexia and other educational problems, Mortimer had completed a course after leaving school and got two jobs.

However he left both of them because of emotional difficulties because of problems with his relationship.

He said his client had been drinking heavily before the incident and was full of remorse for what he had done.

Judge Douglas Field said: "This was a very serious offence. This was a lady on her own in the small hours of the morning and you attack her.

"As a result of that she was on the ground and you straddled her and she suffered injuries."