A local man who injured a police officer after dragging him along in a moving vehicle has been sentenced in the Supreme Court today.

Stephen Bolaños, 28, of Edinburgh Estate, pleaded guilty to Failing to Stop, Actual Bodily Harm and Dangerous Driving.

At court today he was sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work for the ABH, banned from driving for three years for the Dangerous Driving and received no separate penalty for Failing to Stop.

He was also ordered to pay £2,400 in compensation to the officer, who was signed off work for several weeks following the assault.

The incident happened just after 3pm on Tuesday 3 November last year, when officers spotted Bolaños driving a Toyota RAV 4 on Corral Road – despite being banned from driving at the time.

Officers approached the vehicle, which was waiting in traffic and asked him to turn off the engine and get out of the vehicle.

Bolaños refused and as one of the officers went to remove the key, he accelerated and sped off – dragging the officer approximately eight to ten metres before he fell away from the vehicle. 

Police then chased the vehicle but lost sight of it on Line Wall Road. But a member of the public notified the officers that the vehicle had suddenly pulled into Wellington Front.

Officers approached the vehicle, but again Bolaños refused to leave the vehicle.

He was then removed from the vehicle. Due to the defendant resisting arrest, a member of the public ran over to help officers detain him.

Following the incident the officer was treated for injuries to his wrist, which was placed in a cast. When he returned to work he was placed on light duties.

Commissioner of Police Richard Ullger, said: “Violence against police officers will not be tolerated.

“Although our officers come to work each day knowing they could face dangerous or difficult situations, it is completely unacceptable that they should be assaulted simply for doing their jobs

“Officers and emergency service workers protect the public and do not come to work to be assaulted.

“Anyone who assaults an officer should expect to be brought to justice, as was the case today.

“Luckily on this occasion, our officer was not seriously injured and was back at work after several weeks.

“We know the people in Gibraltar are extremely supportive of the police and I’d like to thank the member of the public who helped us during this incident.

“The support of the general public is never taken for granted.”