A former homeless man who assaulted an off-duty detective sergeant during a mental health crisis has been spared a prison sentence after making significant positive changes in his life.
On 1 August 2024, Detective Sergeant Carr was walking to work in Walsall town centre when he noticed Richard Broadhurst, 56, barefoot and bare-chested. Concerned for his welfare, DS Carr approached Broadhurst and asked if he was alright, according to the prosecution at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
After revealing he was a police officer, DS Carr said Broadhurst’s attitude shifted. Broadhurst then verbally insulted the officer and repeatedly punched him. Passers-by helped DS Carr to his feet before the police were called. The officer discovered he was bleeding from his mouth following the attack.
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Broadhurst was arrested and taken to Bloxwich Police Station, where he expressed some remorse during interview. DS Carr later provided a victim impact statement describing how he first offered help to Broadhurst, who had no socks or shoes on, only for the situation to escalate once his role as a police officer was revealed. The assault caused a split lip, head pain, and soreness in DS Carr’s neck and shoulders for several days. The officer said, “I stopped on that day to help a fellow human being. I didn’t deserve to get attacked.”
Defence solicitor Syed Ahmed described the incident as “a sad state of affairs” and said Broadhurst was acting out of character due to his mental health struggles at the time and homelessness. Mr Ahmed added that Broadhurst acknowledged the officer had come to assist him and showed genuine remorse. He also revealed that Broadhurst now holds full-time employment as a forklift driver.
Broadhurst pleaded guilty to assault by occasioning actual bodily harm and attempted theft of the officer’s phone at an earlier hearing.
Recorder M Wheeler acknowledged that DS Carr’s training in dealing with individuals with mental health issues was likely above that of the general public. The judge noted Broadhurst was bare-chested despite the August weather and described how Broadhurst had tried to grab DS Carr’s jacket before assaulting him. “He wasn’t expecting that. He didn’t deserve that,” the judge said.
Despite the assault on a police officer, several mitigating factors were considered, including Broadhurst’s poor mental health at the time, his early guilty pleas, and the two-year gap since the offence.
Recorder Wheeler concluded that custody would not be appropriate and instead sentenced Broadhurst, who resides on Rowley Street, Walsall, to an 18-month community order. He was also ordered to pay £400 compensation for the damaged jacket, a £114 victim surcharge, and complete 30 days of rehabilitation activity.