Serving West Midlands Police officer jailed for assault

A serving West Midlands Police officer has been jailed for 12 weeks for assault.

PC Neville Bridgewood was found guilty of assault after a two-day trial at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 1 November.

He was one of several officers who responded to a panic alarm on a bus outside Bilston bus station on 26 September last year. A man had failed to pay the fare and during an altercation PC Bridgewood pushed the man who fell and sustained a cut to his leg, which did not require hospital treatment.

The force said that PC Bridgewood, aged 39, has been on non-front facing duties since charges were brought against him and has now been suspended.

A misconduct hearing will now be conducted.

A statement from West Midlands Police, read: “We expect the highest standards of conduct from our officers and will bring to justice those who fall below that standard including bringing criminal charges.”