Thug attacked cop and police dog at Nottingham train station

British Transport Police stopped Nelson Nelson, aged 29, of Stonnall Road, Aldridge, West Midlands, close to Nottingham train station on Saturday afternoon.

When they asked him why he was travelling amid the current Coronavirus lock down he assaulted the officers, leaving one with head injuries so severe he needed hospital treatment.

Nottinghamshire Police officers who came to assist were also attacked by Nelson as his violence continued.

Police Dog Quantum was also injured as he went to tackle him. He sustained a cut to his chin after Nelson armed himself with a plank of wood with a nail embedded in it. A flick knife was also recovered during the incident.

This is the same Nottinghamshire Police dog - a four-year old Belgian Malinois-German Shepherd cross - which two years ago only just survived being stabbed by an offender.

Nelson pleaded guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm, assault with intent to resist arrest, assault of an emergency worker, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of a bladed article and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal during a hearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday April 6.

Magistrates have now sent the case to the Crown Court as they felt they had insufficient sentencing powers to reflect the seriousness of the offence, which could well result in a jail sentence.

Nelson has now been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on Monday, April 27.

Chief Constable Craig Guildford from Nottinghamshire Police said: "This is a particularly nasty case where officers who are working hard to engage with the public to ensure that ‘stay at home’ guidance is being followed have been subjected to a vicious and sustained assault.”

Police Dog Quantum has already reported back for duty, buoyed on by a package of goodies sent by grateful British Transport Police officers following the incident. He was back patrolling the county’s streets of Nottingham later yesterday evening.

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