A CALNE man pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer after a scuffle broke out while he was at a friend’s house in Devizes.

Police were called at around 4am on Tuesday, March 22, to a house in Moyne Close after reports that defendant Wayne England, 24, of Zander Road, was brandishing a kitchen knife.

On arrival police were unable to find the knife but decided to arrest England, who protested, causing a melee to break out between himself and police officers.

After the altercation, in which England was tasered, PC Geoff Goodway found that he had suffered a cut to his hand.

Defence solicitor Nick Redhead said: “When the police arrived at the address there was no sign of a knife but they came across Mr England in an agitated state.

“It seems that the police made a decision to arrest Mr England, who was smoking and he asked if he could finish his cigarette.

“There was then a struggle that involved him being tasered from which the officer comes out with a cut on his hand.”

England was given an 18-month community order, an eight-week curfew and was told to pay £100 in compensation to PC Goodway by North West Wiltshire Magistrates last Thursday.

A probation officer for England said: “He has some issues concerning mental health. He has suicidal thoughts and tried to kill himself some months ago.

“He also has some issues with drugs but not with alcohol. He has got some work in the past and wants to regain full-time employment again.”