Bootle man charged following assault of police officer in Crosby

We can confirm that a Bootle man has been charged with the assault of an officer in Crosby in the early hours of yesterday, Tuesday 19 November.
 
At around 2am, officers were called to Fairfield, Crosby to reports of a man causing a disturbance. Officers detained him on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly, at which point he reportedly spat in the face of an officer.
 
Anthony McLellan, 39, of St Catherine's Road, has now been charged with Assault by beating of an emergency worker; and Drunk and disorderly in a public place. McLellan will next appear at court on Friday, 6 December.
 
Chief Inspector Rob Budden said: "As recent media reports have shown, assaults on police officers are regrettably on the increase, and we are determined to do all we can tackle this trend, and protect those who bravely protect our communities.
 
"Police officers and staff are trained and prepared for dangerous situations on a daily basis, but none of us expects to be the victim of unprovoked violence when responding to people and incidents which put the wider public in danger.
 
"Any assault on our workforce is a criminal offence and we will always look to put those responsible before the courts. Assaulting an emergency worker can result in up to two years in prison, and hopefully such outcomes at court serve as a reminder how seriously we'll continue to treat such incidents." 

You can report any incidents of violence to @MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.