‘lasting effect’ | 

Irishman jailed in UK for ‘strangling’ female cop during apprehension

Aaron Doherty grabbed one officer by the throat as she said ‘you’re strangling me, I can’t breathe’

Today at 14:27

An Irish man has been jailed in the UK for over a year after he tried to strangle a cop.

Aaron Doherty (31), from Strabane in Tyrone, Northern Ireland, pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency service worker and one count of intentional strangulation in Plymouth late last year.

Police stopped Doherty in Devonport shortly before 10pm on August 29, 2023, following information that he had breached the conditions of a court issued protection order.

As one of the cops attempted to apprehend him, Doherty flipped out and threw her to the ground where she smashed her head.

He then pushed the second officer to the floor before running and jumping into a garden.

Both cops ran after Doherty, pursuing him into the hedgerows. When one discovered Doherty, he grabbed her by the throat and began strangling her.

“You’re strangling me, I can’t breathe,” she shouted, according to court documents.

Doherty continued to hold her by the neck. He then grabbed hold of the other officer’s wrist and twisted it.

The officers were eventually able to gain control of Doherty and detain him until additional units arrived to provide support.

In interview Doherty told officers that he had no intention of harming the officers and was unaware of the injuries caused to them.

Doherty was sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court on Friday, December 8.

Patrol Inspector Roger Hocking said: “This incident has had a profound and lasting effect on two officers who attended that night. I want to praise them both for their professionalism and continued efforts to detain Doherty, after he had assaulted them both and fled.

“No one goes to work to be assaulted and violence against officers will not be tolerated. As this result shows, we will take seek to bring offenders to justice for these offences.”