A man who sprayed ammonia in the face of a police officer and threatened him with a gun has been jailed for 16 years. Shortly after midnight on 17 June last year police were called to reports of people acting suspiciously around parked vehicles on Commonside East, Mitcham, Surrey.
On arrival PC Samuel Goard walked up to speak to one of the suspicious loiterers, James Boyle. After he told Boyle to take his hands out of his pocket, Boyle, 22, pulled out a bottle of ammonia and sprayed it in his face before moving towards him. PC Goard was temporarily blinded in one eye, but managed to use his PAVA spray against his attacker, causing him to flee.
PC Goard said: “At the time of the incident I was in complete fear for my life. I did not know what the male had sprayed at me.
“Thoughts of acid, ammonia or any liquid that could have caused me irreversible injuries to my eye, sight, or permanent disfigurement to my face overcame me. My thoughts turned to my son at home, was he going to grow up only knowing me as having a disfigured face, will he recognise me when I go home?"
After he fled, PC Goard and another Met police officer, PC George Garner, chased Boyle on foot. As they approached, Boyle pulled out a handgun from his waistband and pointed it toward the officers. Without firing, he managed to keep running and escaped on foot.
PC Garner said: “When he [Boyle] pulled the gun on me I felt powerless and had to let him run away. I was left with the same recurring thought – if it was so easy to point a gun at a police officer what would he do to a member of the public?
“I returned to work the day after the incident. I love my job and didn’t want what happened to affect me or make me fearful, but it is a terrifying reminder that the most routine call could end up being something that could change my life or the lives of my loved ones forever.”
Subscribe here for the latest news where you live
After trawling through CCTV footage, the police were able to identify their suspect. He was found and arrested on June 24 of last year.
On his arrest he was found with a knife, an axe and a bottle of ammonia in his rucksack. During a search of his home, officers discovered the same grey tracksuit top Boyle had been wearing on the night of the incident.
The investigation also revealed that the firearm Boyle had used had been fired before the police arrived at the scene that night. The live rounds of ammunition that were recovered and the bottle of ammonia all provided forensic matches to Boyle.
The man from Brixton was sentenced to 16 years in prison at Kingston Crown Court on Monday. He pleaded guilty at the same court on November 11, 2022, to a multitude of offences.
These included administering a poison with intent, using a firearm with intent, assault and having a corrosive substance in a public place. He was also charged for possession of various bladed articles and of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Woodsford, from Specialist Crime, said: “Boyle is an extremely dangerous offender and we are pleased that the overwhelming evidence gathered during our investigation left him with no choice but to plead guilty. We have no doubt that he would have caused further harm was he not identified and arrested so quickly.
“My thoughts remain with the officers involved in this incident who are fortunate not to have suffered lasting injury. Police officers routinely put themselves in harm’s way but no-one should have to come home from work having being assaulted in the course of their duty.”
DCI Woodsford added: “Tackling violent crime is one of our top priorities and this includes those who assault our staff. Abuse of emergency workers is never acceptable and we will always deal robustly with offences of this nature.”
