Teenager arrested after police officers punched and spat at in Londonderry

The assaults on the officers have been condemned as unacceptable, and those with information have been encouraged to come forward. Inspector Craig said that officers attended a reported domestic-related occurrence at a property at the Carranbane Walk before 9.15pm on Saturday.

"A female officer approached a man who was in the garden of the property and he punched her in the face a number of times," he said. "The officer had to be taken to hospital for treatment for her injuries, which included an injury to her eye. "The man was also reported to have punched and spat at a second officer, and spat at a third officer."

The man was arrested on suspicion of offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault on police, resisting police, criminal damage, and common assault. "He was taken to police custody, where he spat in another officer's face, and threw a cup of water in a fifth officer's face," the inspector said.

He added: "Our inquiries into this incident are continuing, but I want to stress that assaults on our officers are unacceptable, and must not be tolerated as simply being 'part of the job'. "I would appeal to anyone with information in relation to this incident to contact police on 101, and quote reference number 1885 of 29/04/23."