CHRISTOPHER HARTLEY ATTACKS DETECTIVES ON M62 IN NORTHWICH
Two detectives from Northwich believed they were about to lose their lives during a horrifying assault by a sex offender they were transporting.Christopher Hartley, 44, from Fartown in Huddersfield, was arrested by Cheshire Police on September 7, 2016, on suspicion of possessing indecent images.
During a hearing at Leeds Crown Court, it was revealed that Hartley was being taken to Cheshire for questioning when, near Scammonden on the M62, he suddenly attacked DC Victoria Shelton, who was driving at 70mph in the fast lane and trying to avoid a crash.
Hartley used the handcuffs he was wearing to strike her and pushed her head against the window, obscuring her view as she struggled to control the Vauxhall Corsa.
DC Shelton described her experience, saying she remembered him punching her and attempting to gouge her eyes out while he screamed wildly.
Prosecutor Duncan Ritchie explained that DC David MacFarlane, seated in the back with Hartley, was desperately trying to restrain him.
Despite the chaos, DC Shelton managed to steer across three lanes of busy traffic and bring the vehicle to a halt on the hard shoulder.
Once stopped, Hartley, a convicted sex offender, turned his aggression toward DC MacFarlane, climbing on top of him, growling, and biting his right arm.
He then spat a piece of flesh into DC Shelton’s face before calming down.
Both officers suffered injuries requiring months off work; DC Shelton still attends counseling.
She recounted thinking they would all die and never see their families again.
In an emotional account, she said, “I only see the evil face that tried to kill me coming towards me like a caged animal.
It was the worst day of my life and I thought it would be the last day of my life.” She also revealed she had whiplash and nightmares afterward, and she pleaded with Hartley during the attack, but he only hit her harder, coming dangerously close to causing catastrophic harm.
DC MacFarlane required surgery on his arm and was left with a visible scar.
He also underwent HIV testing, which was initially prompted by a self-testing kit found at Hartley's home; three months later, he was cleared.
After his arrest, Hartley admitted to officers that there would be indecent images in his possession.
Police later found 2,135 indecent still images and 282 movies.
Hartley was sentenced to 14 years in prison after admitting to multiple charges: two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of causing GBH with intent, seven counts of possessing indecent images, one of possessing extreme pornography, and breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
Judge James Spencer QC commented that Hartley's attack was so severe that “it is a mercy there was not some catastrophe,” describing his behavior as “like an animal,” noting he had bitten DC MacFarlane so severely that blood was on his face and in his mouth which he spat at the officer, and that he had tried to gouge her eyes out.
Hartley's lawyer, John Boumphrey, presented letters of apology from Hartley, describing the incident as an “out of character ‘moment of madness’.” Hartley had prior convictions for indecent assault in 1997 and for possessing and distributing indecent images in 2012.
Cheshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Nick Bailey stated, “Police officers work extremely hard to protect the public daily, and they do not deserve to be assaulted while carrying out their duties.
The sentence reflects the severity of this horrific attack and the trauma caused to the officers.” He added, “At the time, both officers genuinely feared for their lives, and they are still recovering physically and emotionally.” Both officers have since returned to work and are receiving support through their recovery.
Ch Insp Simon Meegan also praised their resilience, saying, “This was a horrendous assault that could have resulted in serious injury or worse to both officers and the public.
I commend their determination and resilience, and Hartley’s sentence reflects how severe this incident was.” DS Zaheer Abbas of Kirklees CID expressed approval of the sentence, emphasizing that Hartley's violent actions were unacceptable and that police officers' safety must be protected as they strive to serve the community.
