A man has been sentenced to two years in prison for pepper-spraying two police officers who were responding to a domestic assault call in Luton, Bedfordshire. Ionut Spanache, 31, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault on an emergency worker, possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid, and actual bodily harm.
The incident occurred on May 17 when officers PC Hollie and PC Molly attended an address following reports of a domestic assault. Body-worn camera footage shows the officers knocking on the door before Spanache sprayed them with a synthetic pepper spray substitute. The substance caused PC Hollie temporary blindness and difficulty breathing, leading her to initially fear it was an acid attack.
"It's hard to describe how painful and distressing this experience was, but I am grateful for the immediate actions of PC Molly and those who witnessed the aftermath," PC Hollie said in a statement. "The support I received from colleagues was crucial in getting back to work, and I'm pleased to have been present at Spanache's sentencing and share first-hand the impact of assaults on officers."
PC Molly, despite experiencing a burning sensation on her face and hands, was able to assist her colleague by clearing the substance from PC Hollie's eyes and mouth while seeking help from bystanders. "What should have been a routine call very quickly became an incident I will never forget," PC Molly stated. "In that moment, I knew I needed to remain calm in order to keep PC Hollie calm too. My priority was making sure she was safe and getting her the help she needed as quickly as possible."
Superintendent Rachael Glendenning commented on the incident, stating, "The assault of any emergency worker is abhorrent, and attacks on police officers carrying out their duties are especially concerning." She noted that an average of almost 30 Bedfordshire Police officers are assaulted each month while on duty, with a significant number requiring hospital treatment. "Our officers regularly place themselves in challenging and unpredictable situations to protect others," Glendenning added. "However, no one should be subjected to violence of any degree, and we will always pursue offenders who think this is an acceptable response to police intervention."
Spanache was sentenced at Luton Crown Court on July 17. The court's decision, Superintendent Glendenning hopes, "demonstrates that the courts take violence against emergency workers seriously."