A supermarket worker – who came to the UK illegally five years ago – has admitted attacking a female detective outside a police station.

The victim, DC Louise Randall, was attacked outside Medway Police Station and left with a fractured cheekbone in the beating described by the judge as “savage”.

But Eritrean Samuel Tesefay – who has been granted the right to stay in Britain – has denied carrying out the attack deliberately to cause grievous bodily harm.

Today, the 27-year-old pleaded guilty to inflicting GBH on the officer following the attack in May but not guilty to causing the injury with intent, which carries a much longer sentence.

Prosecutor John Fitzgerald told Maidstone Crown Court the pleas were not acceptable to the Crown Prosecution Service and there will now be a trial in October.

Tesefay, of Ticket Road, Penge was remanded in custody after an application for bail from his lawyer Kerry Waitt was rejected by the judge.

Tesefay had been spoken to by officers in relation to another inquiry and his laptop and mobile had been seized.

But a dispute began when police refused to hand back the laptop and Tesefay lashed out with punches and kicks.

Mr Fitzgerald said the incident – in which the officer had at one point sought cover – was caught on CCTV and will be shown during the two-day trial.

The officer was first attacked at the front counter of Medway Police Station, in Purser Way, Gillingham.

She was later taken to a local hospital for treatment for the cheekbone and other facial injuries caused by kicks and punches.

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