Swaffham man Daniel Emery in King’s Lynn court after headbutting police officer

A man who headbutted and kicked a police officer will learn his fate in two months time.

Daniel Emery, 41, of The Oaklands in Swaffham, pleaded guilty to common assault of an emergency worker when he appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

He committed the offence on September 17, with police originally called to his address after allegations of a separate assault had been made.

After being arrested and placed in handcuffs, Emery told an officer he required medication from his house before being taken into custody.

However, while the officer made arrangements for it to be collected, Emery became “agitated” and headbutted their upper lip.

He did the same thing again just moments later, before kicking the officer’s leg. They suffered a grazed elbow during the assault.

In mitigation, duty solicitor Tiffany Meredith said that Emery - who had nine previous convictions - had “been through quite an ordeal with his wife” prior to the incident.

“He says to me he was not in a good place mentally at the time,” she said.

“He didn’t regard it as a headbutt. He fully accepts his whole body lurched forwards - he doesn’t know which part of his body made contact.

“He accepts his responsibility for the incident. He regrets it. He is sorry for his behaviour towards the officer.”

Ms Meredith told the court that Emery suffers with various mental and physical health conditions, and is quite often “in pain”.

“It is quite clear that he has significant issues with mental health,” she added.

“It has played a part in his reaction.”

With that in mind, magistrates pushed back deciding on Emery’s fate until the probation service carries out a pre-sentence report.

He has been released on unconditional bail, and will return to the Lynn court on March 27.