Bodycam video shows moments before thug brutally attacks policemen

A policeman has spoken out about how a vision he had of his son helped him to survive after a vicious thug stamped on his head 15 times.


PCs Karl Odger and Geoffrey Hill were brutally attacked after trying to handcuff 'vicious' Simon Priest for an alleged assault on his partner, Charlotte Loveday.


The 41-year-old told the officers they would need to get more support if they were going to arrest him before taking off his coat and knocking them both out in Aldershot, Hampshire.


Priest was given a life sentence at Winchester Crown Court, Hampshire, after shocking footage from the officers' bodycam was shown of the brutal assault.


Footage revealed the moment Priest repeatedly stamped on both officers' heads, leaving them both seriously injured.


PC Hill said: 'I remember seeing my son Cameron when he was baby, in my head, and I can remember him saying goodbye to me.


'(As) clear as I talk to you now, I could hear him saying "Goodbye, dad."


'I remember thinking I was dying, dead. And then I saw my son reappear and he was like "Dad, take a breath."'


PC Hill then described the moment he took a huge gasp and returned to consciousness.


Prosecutor Kerry Maylin told the court that PC Hill and PC Odger had been responding to a call about an assault when they found Priest standing on the top floor landing of a block of flats with all his possessions in plastic bags.


After informing him he was to be arrested for allegedly hitting his partner, who he had just broken up with, Priest flew into a rage as the lights, which were on a timer, went out.


Priest showed no emotion in court as he watched the clip of himself screaming loudly as he repeatedly stamped on the heads of the officers after punching them both to the ground.


Sentencing Judge Keith Cutler handed him a life sentence with a minimum of seven and a half years behind bars.


Ms Maylin told the court: 'The defendant told the officers 'I will f****** end you' as they informed him he was to be arrested.


'The lights in the block of flats were on a timer and it was after they went out that he attacked the officers.


'PC Odger was left unconscious after the first strike, but Priest continued to stamp on his head another 10 to 15 times.


'PC Hill was also knocked unconscious momentarily after being attacked by Priest.


'After finishing his attack, Priest then ran away, taking with him the handcuffs that were being used to arrest him and a live taser and two cartridges for the weapon.'


Both officers had to be rushed to hospital after the horrific attack, with the bodycam footage showing PC Odger left in a pool of his own blood.


PC Odger had to be placed into an induced coma on his arrival at hospital, and had further surgery to relieve a bleed on his brain.


Priest, from Aldershot, was arrested half an hour after the attack outside a nearby kebab shop where he was taking a member of staff's bike.
The thug, who has two previous convictions for assaulting police officers, admitted one count of GBH with intent, one of attempted GBH, one of theft, one of escaping lawful custody and being in possession of a prohibited weapon.


Mitigating, Abigail Husbands told the court that Priest did not recall his attack on the two men, blacking out as they tried to arrest him.
She said: 'My client admits that he remembers telling officers that they would need to get help to arrest him and accepts that it was him that caused their injuries.


'He does however suffer with mixed personality disorder and does not remember carrying out the attacks.


'He did show remorse when interviewed and was so distressed that he did not wish to be shown the body cam footage at the time.'
Sentencing him to life in prison, with a minimum of seven and a half years before he can apply for parole, Judge Cutler said: 'This was a horrific attack.


'These two police officers were replying to a report of a domestic incident. They did everything right.


'Police officers need to know that they will get the full protection of the courts in cases of assaults. Both men are lucky that they are able to be around today, and one in this courtroom, to see the result of this case.


'I am sure there have been many times when they may have felt they would not be here.'


John Apter, the chairman of the Hampshire Police Federation, said afterwards the attack was the worst he had seen in his entire career.
He said: 'This was a vicious and sustained attack on two police officers doing their duty on behalf of the public.


'The level of violence used was sickening and the worst I have seen in my 24 years of policing. It was only due to the swift medical care received that this horrendous attack did not result in the death of either officer.'


Olivia Pinkney, Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary, added: 'Each and every assault on an officer is unacceptable.


'Karl and Geoff were responding to a cry for help by a woman and her child, when they were attacked in the most appalling manner.
'Our job does come with an element of risk, but what happened that night was truly exceptional.'