A MAN was tasered and then taken into custody after he assaulted a police officer in Warminster this morning (21/10).

At 8.30am, officers were called to an address in Furnax Lane, following a report regarding the suspicious behaviour of a man in the street.

An officer located a man matching the description given. Despite the officer attempting to engage with the man and asking him to move on, the man refused to comply.

When the officer began to arrest the man to prevent breach of the peace, he attempted to make off from the scene, before walking towards the officer and punching him in the face.

The man then tried to assault a second officer who had arrived on scene but was tasered by the officer who he had previously assaulted.

The man, who is in his 20s from Warminster, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and taken to Melksham where he remains for questioning.

Duty Supt Gavin Williams said: “Assaults of any kind on our officers are not acceptable – every day, police officers across the country are doing their very best to protect our communities.

"This level of violence and disrespect simply will not be tolerated and we will do all that we can to ensure offenders are put before the courts, and that our officers are provided with the support they need.

“Fortunately, in this case, the officer was not seriously injured and returned to duties immediately.”