Man jailed for assault on police officer using vegetable peeler

He became violent after staff at a retail park asked him to stop charging his phone

Author: Seb CheerPublished 2 hours ago

Detectives say they are "really pleased" a man is in prison, after he assaulted shop workers and a police officer.

On 30th March 2024, Parampreet Singh was asked by staff at Northampton's St James' Retail Park to stop charging his phone using a plug socket.

He then became verbally abusive and violent towards two members of staff, resulting in police being called.

When officers arrived, the 26-year-old, of Heath Street in Birmingham, spent several minutes calmly avoiding their questions before launching an unprovoked attack.

He stabbed one officer with a pointed vegetable peeler, causing him a significant wound to the top of his head.

The other sustained deep scratch marks to his arm during the attack, which only ended when Singh was tasered.

Police added that he spat repeatedly inside a police van while travelling to custody, where amphetamines were later found on him during a search.

In August, he admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, threatening a person with a blade/sharply pointed article in a public place, assault by beating of an emergency worker, assault by beating, common assault, possession of a Class B drug, and criminal damage.

He was sentenced the next month at Northampton Crown Court, to 19 months in prison.

He was also ordered to pay a ÂŁ187 victim surcharge, and the court recommended the Indian national is deported at the end of his custodial sentence.

"Unprovoked" and "ferocious attack"

Speaking after sentencing, investigating officer Detective Constable Roisin Harrison, of Northamptonshire Police's CID West, said: “I’m really pleased that Parampreet Singh has been jailed for his awful behaviour that morning.

“His actions in assaulting store staff and then police officers were entirely unprovoked and the violence he used was shocking, going from a calm situation to a ferocious attack in a split second.

“Singh used a sharp weapon to inflict a stab wound that could easily have been incredibly serious, and the effects on the officer went well beyond the physical injuries he caused.

“He was clearly heavily influenced by drugs that day, and apart from entering guilty pleas he has shown no remorse for his actions. Northamptonshire Police takes all forms of retail crime and violence incredibly seriously, and we will always do all we can to bring offenders to justice.”

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio Chilled on DAB, online and on the Rayo app.