Drunk man kicked police officer in head during arrest outside pub

Daniel Melvin, aged 45, had been at the Quayside bar at Glebe Road, Bowness-in-Windermere, on June 6.

“He had been to watch a football match,” prosecutor Diane Jackson told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court. “After serving Mr Melvin, a barman noticed how drunk he was. As a result he alerted door staff.”

Melvin was said to have been ejected from the premises. He was compliant at first but then, as he became aggressive, police were called.

As Melvin “actively” resisted arrest, said the prosecutor, an officer was forced to place him in the rear cage of a police vehicle.

“He began to kick out and lash out with his legs,” said Mrs Jackson.

In a statement, the officer recalled: “During this, he kicked me to the side of the head.”

As a result, the officer sustained reddening to the side of his head and an ear piece was dislodged. “It is a kick with a shod foot,” Mrs Jackson told magistrates, outlining aggravating features of the offence. “It is also aggravated by the fact he is in drink at the time.”

Melvin pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting an emergency worker by beating.

Magistrates were told Melvin had admitted the offence on the basis that he had acted recklessly.

Defence solicitor Kate Hunter, mitigating, said Melvin was being placed in the police vehicle and found himself on his back. “He kicked out,” said Miss Hunter. “That’s when the foot connects with the officer’s face. It is not necessarily an intention to kick the officer.”

The court heard Melvin, of Douglas Road, Dumbarton, had previous conditions in his native Scotland for both vandalism and threatening and abusive behaviour in January this year; and another threatening and abusive behaviour crime dating back to 2024.

As a result, magistrates concluded they needed more information about Melvin before handing down a punishment.

The case was adjourned for preparation of a probation service pre-sentence report. Melvin is due to be sentenced at the magistrates’ court on September 22 and in the meantime he has been granted bail.