A WILTSHIRE officer who was flicked with blood and pummelled by a domestic abuse suspect has been put forward for a national bravery award.

PC Jamie Collings is his county’s nominee in the annual Police Federation bravery awards. His nomination follows an incident last year, when the Devizes-based officer – who had served with the force for little over a year - was called to reports that a drunk man had attacked his partner and snatched their two-year-old child before returning to punch a window.

When PC Collings arrived at the scene – alone – he spotted the suspect carrying his toddler. The man was aggressive, while his screaming child was covered in shards of glass.

Despite the man’s aggression, the officer was able to convince him to hand the child to a neighbour. That done, PC Collings tried to arrest him.

That was when things began to go wrong. The suspect started flicking blood at the constable, then punched him in the cheek, slammed him up against a garage door and kicked him in the ribs.

Speaking to ITV West Country about the incident last year, PC Collings said: “We went to grab me, then flicked blood from his wound into my face, which I remember going straight into my mouth because I remember the taste of it.

“We went to the floor and he kicked me in the ribs, punched me in the face. During the scuffle he then slammed my head against a garage door.”

In their citation, the Police Federation wrote: “Back-up was 15 minutes away and during this time PC Collings restrained the suspect, despite the man using all his force to resist arrest. PC Collings was taken to hospital to be assessed fearing the risk of infection from the suspect’s blood.

“Despite having been a police officer for just over a year, PC Collings showed great bravery and confidence in dealing with a violent and extremely dangerous man on his own whilst keeping a two-year-old child safe.”

The Bravery Awards are on July 18.