A man appeared in court today flanked by flanked by seven armed police officers as he was charged with attempting to murder a policewoman with an axe.
Nathan Sumner, 35, is accused of carrying out the "horrendous" attack on PC Lisa Bates and four other officers in the Gleadless area of Sheffield on Wednesday evening.
Sumner appeared in the dock of Sheffield Magistrates Court wearing handcuffs and with his left eye completely shut and a dressing above it.
A number of people in the public gallery cried out and gasped in shock with they saw the defendant.
Sumner spoke only to give his name, date of birth and address during the five-minute hearing.
He is charged with attempted murder, six counts of assault by beating, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of making threats to kill, affray, threatening a person with a blade in a public place and production of cannabis.
There was no application for bail from Andrew Dalrymple, defending.
Sumner's case was sent to Sheffield Crown Court on May, 13.
As the defendant was led out, members of the public gallery cried out and one said: "You're safe now. They're going to look after you."
Background to the case
PC Bates lost a finger and also suffered a fractured skull and a broken leg in what prosecutor Paul Macaulay described as a "truly horrendous attack on a police officer".
She was called to a domestic incident in Plowright Close before the alleged attack along with a male officer who was also injured.
Three other officers also suffered injuries during attempts to arrest the suspect at a nearby Co-op store.
The suspect was eventually detained after officers used batons and a Taser.
Local resident Simon Ellis, 46, has described how he witnessed the attack and then pulled the injured PC Bates into his flat.
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