A CAR thief who injured a police officer while resisting arrest has been jailed for nearly four years.
Liam O’Callaghan struggled so violently that he left the officer with a dislocated arm and fractured collarbone.
The long-serving officer left the force following the incident, during which he was also put in a choke hold.
Violent struggle
O’Callaghan and an accomplice were spotted by a member of the public trying door handles of parked cars in Rednal, Birmingham on October 31, 2017.
After two responding officers gave chase on foot, the accomplice was stopped by one officer and co-operated.
However O’Callaghan, 30, of Quinton Road West, Quinton, Birmingham, struggled so violently that he left the officer with a dislocated arm and fractured collarbone.
O’Callaghan was arrested shortly afterwards by a dog handler, after a police dog got hold of his thigh.
Lasting injury
“The officer was held in a choke hold, preventing him from breathing, and still has a lasting injury almost a year on,” said Detective Constable Darren Lennox of Bournville CID.
“Sadly this was the last shift he ever worked as he took the decision to give up his role with West Midlands Police.
“The community has lost an officer with 15 years of experience under his belt and that is reflected in this lengthy sentence.”
O’Callaghan was sentenced to eight months for theft from a motor vehicle to run concurrently with 43 months for assaulting a police officer after pleading guilty at Birmingham Crown Court on August 20.
