Peterborough police officer speaks of shock after suffering bleed to the brain in attack

A Peterborough police officer who suffered a bleed on the brain after being attacked on a call in the city has spoken of his shock after being diagnosed with the serious injury.

PC Leo Clarke needed surgery and spent almost a week in hospital after he was punched in the head in February last year – only returning to work on restricted duties 10 months later in December.

Leo was attacked while attending an incident in Ledbury Road, after reports 27-year-old Joshua Gull was being violent towards his family.

Gull had missed a psychiatric appointment at Peterborough City Hospital that morning and walked to the address prior to speaking with a doctor.

When Leo arrived at the address he found Gull and his father standing in the street.

Gull became agitated and reacted angrily when the officer activated his body worn video camera, grabbing leo, who used PAVA spray but to no avail as Gull adopted a fighting stance punch the officer to the head. Leo then used his baton to stop Gull, who was arrested soon afterwards as he retreated inside the property.

“I remember thinking ‘This isn’t good, it wasn’t just a punch’”

Leo returned to Thorpe Wood Police Station, when he became ill. Talking to Cambridgeshire Police’s ‘Not Part of the Job’ podcast, Leo said: “

“Afterwards I got back to the station and went to get up out the car, but then thought something really isn’t right.

“I walked up the stairs to the response office in Thorpe Wood and remember having to hold on to the handrail thinking: ‘This isn’t good, it wasn’t just a punch’.

“I went into the office and my skipper’s look alone worried me. I spoke in gibberish apparently, and it was at that point they realised I needed to go to hospital.”

Leo spent nearly a week in hospital, and needed surgery before he was allowed home.

“Luckily my skipper and colleagues saw something was wrong”

He said: “When I was released from hospital, they took the bandaging off my head and this was the first time I saw the extent of the surgery. The photos still hit home when I see them.

“My dad and girlfriend picked me up, I think he was crying more than she was! It was a long process of getting back to normal, but I got lucky and recovered in quite a short period of time.

“The doctors told me it was a bleed on the brain and left unchecked, it could cause a lot of damage. Luckily my skipper and colleagues saw something was wrong and got me to hospital early, that has helped me get back to how I am now.”

Even after being released from hospital, it was a long recovery process for Leo, who two months after the assault told a court that the injuries had ‘made him feel like a prisoner in his own home,’ saying he could not drive, and was not able to go out and socialise with his friends.

Gull, of Herne Road, Oundle, admitted causing grievous bodily harm without intent and was sentenced to one year and eight months at Peterborough Crown Court in April last year.

Following the incident, a fundraiser was launched to help Leo, raising thousands of pounds.

Leo, a police officer for nearly three years based in Peterborough on response, said he was first attracted to the job because of the blue lights, being pro-active and helping others to feel safer.

“We’ve got families as well we want to go home to”

More than a year on from the attack, he has now returned to response shifts on the front line.

He said: “As the police we do a lot of jobs now, including mental health related ones. We’ve had to adapt as every service is stretched; for us it’s not just locking up bad guys anymore.

“One of the main things for police is life and limb – making sure everyone is OK. If we turn up, it doesn’t always mean you’re in trouble so don’t instantly worry and don’t take your anger out on us.

“We’ve got families as well we want to go home to, so it’s not fair. It might not be an ambulance turning up like you want, but we will get to where you need to and do our best to help you.”

"I hope his story brings home the reality of the work police officers do on a daily basis”

Chief Constable Nick Dean said assaults upon police officers and staff would never be tolerated and were not simply ‘part of the job’.

He added: “I am pleased to see Leo is well on the road to recovery, is back at work helping to keep Cambridgeshire safe and has returned to the front line and again doing the work he loves.

“I’m glad he has felt able to share what happened to him in our new podcast series, and I hope his story brings home the reality of the work police officers do on a daily basis to protect others.

“It should be remembered that police officers and staff are people, they are fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. When they are attacked they become victims just like any other, but victims who have been attacked while trying to protect others.”

To listen to the podcast episode, or for more information about the new series, visit the force’s dedicated podcast web page at https://www.cambs.police.uk/police-forces/cambridgeshire-constabulary/areas/campaigns/podcast-series/series-2/episode-1/

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