A vicious yob who escaped custody after headbutting an officer to the floor and fleeing with one handcuff dangling from his wrist has been jailed.

Drug addict Steven Mander, from Sheerness, attacked PC Cousins with such force he required emergency care for the wound, which revealed his frontal bone.

The 27-year-old was jailed for three years at Canterbury Crown Court after admitting escaping custody and unlawful wounding earlier this year.

The violence unfolded when PC Cousins tried arresting Mander on June 6 in Marine Parade, Sheerness, for a public order offence.

Mander began shouting and resisting the handcuffs according to prosecutors, who added: “At this point the defendant withdrew his head and headbutted PC Cousins in the face.”

The officer told how blood was pouring from his face as the blow took him to his knees, with Mander fleeing with handcuffs attached to his right wrist.

Medics sealed PC Cousins' wound with surgical glue as police scoured the town for Mander.

He was discovered the same evening in nearby Wood Street, handcuffs still attached, and arrested.

Mander was on police bail at the time of his arrest for a similar outburst against an emergency worker.

That incident saw police called to his Marine Parade home following reports of a disturbance in February, where Mander was found in a fury.

When officers explained he would be taken into custody without the opportunity to pick up a methadone prescription his rage intensified.

“When one officer was talking to Mander he punched the officer with his right closed fist, hitting him on the side of the face - it was completely unprovoked,” prosecutor Trevor Wright said.

The officer was left “stunned, dazed and staggering for several seconds,” he added.

Mander would admit assaulting an emergency worker, unlawful wounding and escaping custody, however, he would argue he was goaded by an ex-partner.

He also told the police after punching the officer: “I lost it, it is as simple as that.”

Mitigating, Kerry Waite said Mander had acted spontaneously after becoming distraught and had not planned the attacks.

Mander is seeking to train in IT during his time in prison while reducing his methadone prescription, he added.

Judge Simon James told Mander: “The officer was acting in the course of his duty, and him being an emergency worker it seems to me he must be considered particularly vulnerable to assault.”

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