A FUGITIVE who jumped out of a window to escape the police left an officer seriously injured when he fell over during the resulting foot chase through Newton Abbot.

Luc Brailey panicked after police were called to a domestic incident at his home and barged a male and female officer out the way as he jumped to freedom.

He legged it down the street with both in hot pursuit but they gave up the chase after Pc Andrew Brooker tripped over and suffered a broken wrist.

The officers were also concerned because Brailey had left a young child unattended in the house. 

He remained on the run for a day and a half before handing himself into police. No action was taken over the initial complaint of domestic violence, but he was prosecuted to running away.

Brailey, aged 31, of Queensway, Newton Abbot, admitted escape and was jailed for six months, suspended for a year and ordered to do 15 rehabilitation activity days by Recorder Mr Mathew Turner at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him: ‘There was violence involved in pushing the officers to get past them and during the course of the pursuit one of them injured his wrist.

‘You effected an escape but were at large for less than 48 hours and handed yourself in. The original offence was not prosecuted and this was an escape from your home and not from a court or prison.

‘I accept you have mental health difficulties that led to anxiety at the presence of the police and a degree of panic.’

Mr Nigel Hall, prosecuting, said police were called to Brailey’s home on the evening of August 25 last year and were talking to him in a downstairs room when they saw him move towards the window.

They tried to get in his way but he ducked between them, pushing them out of the way in the process and fled through the window.

Pc Hannah Turner suffered bruising as she was thrown against a wall and her colleague Pc Brooker suffered grazed knees and a suspected broken wrist when he fell over during the foot chase.

The officers returned to Brailey’s home to ensure the welfare of a toddler who was on her own there. Brailey handed himself into Torquay police station at 12.44 on August 27.

He needed hospital treatment and was in a cast for four weeks and on restricted duties for four months.

Miss Rachel Smith, defending, said Brailey suffers from depression and anxiety arising from a traumatic childhood which led him to panic.

She said he and his partner share the care of five children and she would struggle to cope without his help if he was sent straight to jail.