A TEENAGER bent the thumb of a police officer as he tried to free his friend from being arrested.

William Perrin, 18, of James Avenue, Sandown, pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting an emergency worker when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on Friday.

The court heard how on September 13 last year Perrin had been attending a house party in Wellow that got out of hand and ended when the police arrived.

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Vivian Ducie, prosecuting, said: "There was a gathering that evening and it all seemed to get a bit boisterous, events begun to unravel and the police were called.

"Mr Perrin was arrested and as he was arrested there was a struggle with one of the officers and he bent her thumb back somewhat, which caused her some amount of pain."

For Perrin, Oscar Vincent said: "When he was interviewed at the police station afterwards he did apologise to the officer for having done it. "He was actually one of the invitees to the party, and not one of the group who gatecrashed the event, leading to the police being called.

"As he and his group of friends made to leave he saw one of his group being arrested by the police officer in question and so he decided to intervene."

The magistrates gave Perrin a 12-month conditional discharge.