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Terrified police officers feared a colleague was dead after he was left unconscious during a violent struggle with a drunken scaffolder.
PC Lawford blacked out while grappling with dad-of-three Paul Ioannou after police were called to a disturbance in Margate.
Ioannou, 36, bit another officer, telling him he had hepatitis C, and left two others injured as he attempted to resist arrest.
He has now been jailed for a year for the violent outburst on May 31 this year.
Maidstone Crown Court was told how police had been called to reports of a disturbance in Vicarage Place, Margate.
When officers arrived they could hear a woman crying inside the home, but Ioannou refused to allow them entry, forcing them to push their way in.
It sparked a struggle, during which Ioannou threw a knuckleduster and punched, bit and kicked out at the officers.
Prosecutor Nicholas Hall said two officers tried to restrain him and PC Lawford fell to the ground with Ioannou on top of him.
"The defendant was trying to punch him and then he restricted the officer's breathing, telling him 'I'm going to rip your ****** head off. When you are out of uniform I am going to kill you'."
Ioannou then bit PC Kirkaldy, telling him he had hepatitis C, the court heard.
Max Reeves, defending, said Ioannou was later involved in a road accident and had suffered very serious injuries.
"Even so, he makes no excuses for his behaviour," he added.
Ioannou was jailed for a year after admitting four assaults and making a threat to kill.
Judge David Griffith-Jones QC said he had displayed "gratuitous violence" and at one point some of the officers believed their colleague had died after passing out.
"PC Lawford was rendered unconscious for a moment, such that his colleagues believed briefly he was dead..."
"You were clearly intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, or both, and you were abusive and aggressive," he said.
"You threw punches and tried to headbutt them, assaulting four officers.
"PC Lawford was rendered unconscious for a moment, such that his colleagues believed briefly he was dead."
In jailing him for 12 months, the judge added: "Your behaviour that night was disgraceful and inexcusable and the officers were left shaken and terrified until more colleagues arrived to assist."
Chief Insp Ed Ruffle, Thanet District Commander, added: "Ioannou was extremely violent towards our officers and the injuries they suffered could have been a lot worse.
"All officers at Kent Police are required to attend unpredictable, challenging and volatile situations, but this doesn’t mean they should accept being abused or assaulted.
"Attacks on our officers are simply unacceptable and those found responsible can expect to be charged with an offence that can carry a serious penalty."
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