Man, 30, charged after police officer suffers serious burns during eviction in Newquay
The officer, 51, was helping bailiffs with an eviction when he was injured on Friday.
Saturday 12 September 2020 17:46, UK
A man has been charged after a police officer suffered serious burns while helping with an eviction in Newquay.
Blagovest Hadjigueorguiev, 30, appeared at Truro Magistrates' Court accused of three offences - arson with intent to endanger life, causing grievous bodily harm with intent against a police officer, and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm against a second officer.
The officer, who is 51 but has not been named, sustained a "number of burns to his arms and legs" during an incident in Trevenson Road, Newquay on Friday morning, Devon and Cornwall Police said.
He was one of a number called to help with a man behaving aggressively towards bailiffs carrying out an eviction on a stretch of private land there, the court heard.
The man was arrested and the officer, who is well known in the town and a former soldier, was airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske.
He was later transferred to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where he remains in a stable condition with injuries described as severe but not life-threatening.
Chief Supt Drummond-Smith said the officer was "sat up and in good spirits" with his family by his bedside on Saturday.
Hadjigueorguiev is also charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm against a second officer, who was uninjured.
He did not enter a plea in court and was remanded in custody to next appear before Truro Crown Court on 13 October, Chief Supt Drummond-Smith said.