‘I will never be the same’, says police officer attacked by thug who refused to wear seatbelt

JAILED: Bilal Ocal

By Simon Bristow

A man who caused life-changing injuries to a police officer by punching him in the face has been jailed for four years.

Bilal Ocal, 27, had failed to appear in court for another assault just two days before he attacked the constable in Pearson Park, Hull, on August 2, 2020.

The officer had spoken to Ocal through the open window of his car about his failure to wear a seatbelt, but Ocal was “dismissive and rude”, Hull Crown Court heard.

But as the constable returned to his own vehicle, after using his discretion to not deal with the seatbelt offence more formally, he saw Ocal was still speaking so returned, and became suspicious when he refused to give his details.

Ocal, who had got out of his car and was walking away, swore at the officer, who then tried to stop him by holding his arm. Ocal then pushed him “forcefully” in the chest, giving the constable no choice but to arrest him.

As the officer was trying to handcuff him, Ocal pulled his arm back and punched him in the face “with as much force as you could muster”, a judge told him.

In a powerful victim statement, which the officer came to court to read in person, he described how his is nose “exploded”, causing blood to pour over his face and body.

Despite “struggling to breathe”, the constable began to chase Ocal as he ran away, but had to radio for assistance. His attacker was only arrested when colleagues who attended pointed a Taser at him after he jumped over a fence.

The PC suffered four facial fractures, including a broken eye socket, cheekbone and jaw, and needed surgery to have metal plates fitted.

He said he was unable to eat or sleep properly and the injuries had caused the left side of his face to drop, which had caused “people in the street to stop and stare at me”, he said.

At the time of making his statement he did not know if his career was over, and said: “I love my job and love helping people and the thought of not being able to do that is very distressing.”

He was still in “severe pain”, he said, and his family and partner had been in tears when he had to tell them about the extent of his injuries.

The officer said the assault had “affected my confidence massively”, and he was undergoing counselling to deal with the consequences of the “completely unprovoked and savage attack”.

“I will never be the same again,” said the officer, who had been forced to relive his ordeal in a trial after Ocal denied responsibility. He was convicted by a jury of causing grievous bodily harm.

Prosecutor Cathrine Kioko-Gilligan told the court of an earlier incident on October 5, 2018, when Ocal had seriously assaulted a woman outside the Banks Harbour pub in Beverley Road.

She was in the beer garden on her own, when Ocal, who was leaving after being involved in a fight inside the pub, punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground.

She suffered a broken nose and a cut to her head, and also needed surgery. The woman was advised she may never recover her senses of taste or smell, which left her unable to enjoy food and concerned about her safety at home in case there was a gas leak.

The woman also suffered psychological damage, and “very rarely goes out socially”.

Ocal had failed to appear at Hull Magistrates’ Court for that assault two days before attacking the policeman, and a warrant had been issued for his arrest. He later admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to that incident.

Ocal had three previous convictions for four offences, including dishonesty, but none for violence.

Greame Wilson, mitigating, said he had already served the equivalent of a 19-month sentence because of his time in custody, had shown “genuine remorse” for the assault on the woman. He had also provided references “which clearly speak highly of the defendant”.

Mr Wilson said Ocal “appreciates the gravity of the offence”, and invited the judge to consider suspending any sentence of imprisonment, or sentencing him to a community order as outlined in a pre-sentence report.

But Judge John Thackray QC, Honorary Recorder of Hull and the East Riding, said the offences were “so serious only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified”.

That Ocal had attacked a police officer was an aggravating feature of the case, the judge said. He said emergency workers “deserve and will receive the protection of the courts”, and “those who cause significant injuries will receive significant custodial sentences”.

The judge told Ocal he was fortunate not to have been prosecuted under the more serious offence of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to resist arrest, as he was “satisfied that all the ingredients for that offence were proved by the prosecution to the criminal standard during the trial”.

The maximum sentence for that offence is life, compared to the five-year maximum for the lesser offence.

Judge Thackray told Ocal the officer had been trying to help him by giving words of advice about not wearing a seatbelt, but instead of appreciating his “generous approach to your criminality you were dismissive and rude”.

He said Ocal had shown “astounding arrogance” during his trial by telling the jury he “knew the law”.

Ocal had caused the constable significant physical and psychological injuries, the judge said, adding: “Whilst the court wishes him well in his recovery, he may never fully recover from the effects of your offending.”

Ocal, who appeared in court via a videolink, was jailed for four years, less 285 days spent on a qualifying curfew.