A HOMELESS man allegedly assaulted a solicitor at Greenbank Police Station.

The man is said to have walked into the station on Tuesday afternoon and assaulted a male police officer who was working on the front desk. He was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer.

It was during a conference later the same day that he allegedly attacked a 46-year-old female solicitor, who has not been named.

She suffered facial injuries which required hospital treatment, although they are not thought to be life-threatening.

The man spent Wednesday night in a police cell and allegedly assaulted a custody officer the following morning.

Both officers are said to have suffered minor injuries.

A police spokesman said: “At around 2pm on Wednesday, August 14, a police officer was assaulted at the front desk of Greenbank Police Station in Blackburn. The officer received minor injuries to his face.

“A 45-year-old man was arrested. A short time later, a solicitor was assaulted at the same police station. She received injuries to her face.

“On August 15, a custody officer received minor injuries after being assaulted.”

The alleged assaults come in the wake of Home Office figures which revealed 418 officers were assaulted in the last 12 months, with 150 of those resulting in injury.

Lancashire Police Federation chairman Rachel Hanley said: “One assault against a police officer is one too many. It is not part of the job. It is absolutely right that the new Assaults on Emergency Workers (offences) Bill is passed into law later this year.

“We need the support of the judicial system to ensure that offences against those that are entrusted with the safety of our communities are themselves protected from violent individuals.”

Cllr Miles Parkinson, who represents the Great Harwood, Rishton and Clayton-le-Moors wards, said: “Any assault on any individual, especially those who are serving the public, is very disturbing.”

A 45-year-old man has been charged with assaulting a police officer, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.

He was due to appear in court today.

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