A 22-year-old man has been jailed for 14-and-a-half years after admitting a horrifying attack on a police officer as well as a string of other crimes.
On September 19 a Fiat Punto was stolen from Heath Grove, Bolton-upon-Dearne, after the driver was threatened at knifepoint.
This was the beginning of a violent series of events, which culminated in the serious assault of police officer by Dale Francis Cheetham, of no fixed abode but formerly of Bolton-upon-Dearne.
Around two hours later, police received a call from Doncaster Council who had captured Cheetham and a second suspect on CCTV assaulting a man at Sandbeck House, Doncaster, after pulling up in the stolen car.
The second suspect was 25-year-old Peter White, also known as Peter Manning, who also appeared before Sheffield Crown Court.
After the attack, both men got into the Fiat and drove off, where they were spotted by a police officer in an unmarked car in Cleveland Street, Doncaster, who noticed that Cheetham was struggling to control his vehicle.
The Fiat subsequently crashed into a metal barrier, with Cheetham and White running from the vehicle into the Hexthorpe area.
Police were already heading to the area in search of the suspects.
Ch Supt Shaun Morley said what followed was a ‘truly horrifying assault.
“After Cheetham and White fled from the crashed Fiat on Cleveland Street, they were chased by one of our police sergeants down an alleyway near Sheardown Street,” he said.
“What came next was an unprovoked, sustained and horrific attack against one of our own, which left an officer with serious head injuries.
“Cheetham repeatedly struck our officer about the head, at one point attempting to grab his baton before managing to take the officer’s handcuffs out of his pocket and using these to inflict further blows to the officer’s head.
“There is no doubt that he intended to cause our officer serious harm and his injuries could have been far more severe indeed, for a short time immediately after the attack, the injuries were deemed to be life-threatening.
“This incident sent shockwaves throughout the local community, officers and staff in Doncaster and indeed the wider force, and I am grateful to everyone who has offered their well-wishes and support throughout the criminal investigation.”
At a hearing at Sheffield Crown Court in February, Cheetham pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a bladed article, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and driving while disqualified. In relation to the attack against the officer, Cheetham pleaded guilty to section 18 wounding with intent to resist arrest, and use of an offensive weapon.
White, of Low Road, Conisbrough, who pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the incident at Sandbeck House, was jailed for 18 months.
