By Emily Caulkett-
A police officer jailed for assaulting a bus passenger is to appeal his conviction and sentence, the union representing rank-and-file cops has disclosed.
Rich Cooke, chairman of the West Midlands Police Federation, made the announcement on Twitter as he vowed to support the officer.
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Pc Neville Bridgewood was jailed for 12 weeks following a two-day trial at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court last month. The court heard the serving West Midlands Police officer responded to a panic alarm on a bus outside Bilston bus station on September 26 last year.
The 39-year-old was imprisoned after being involved in an altercation with a man, who had failed to pay a fare. The officer pushed the man, who fell and sustained a cut to his leg. He did not require hospital treatment.
Following the outcome of the trial, the force said a misconduct hearing would be conducted in due course. A spokesman added: “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.”
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But Mr Cooke said while officers who committed crimes should potentially face the sack, he saw no “consistency or logic” between the sentence handed to Bridgewood and those given to career criminals who committed burglaries, robberies and those carrying knives.
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