Punishment for section 18

[scaredycat]

Basically my boyfriend was in a pub and went to the toilet with his friend, they were both in a cubicle when someone tried to enter and was accusing them of taking cocaine (which they have told me they weren't), the person turned out to be a police CID officer but he didn't tell them this.
He tried to get to our friend but my boyfriend stopped him, the officer then hit my boyfriend round the mouth, he then retaliated and punches were thrown from both ends, our friend tried to split them up but failed so walked out the pub. My boyfriend then pushed the officer off him and turned around and walked out.
It turned out that he hit the urinal when he fell which punctured his lung.
They didn't find out he was a police officer till the following day.
There is no evidence of drugs apart from what the policeman has said.
My boyfriend has no criminal record and the behaviour is completely not like him.
I'm really worrying what will happen!

[scaredycat]

So basically everyone thinks he'd screwed :/
Thanks for most of your comments.
Re the violence, what would most of you do if someone barged in and tried to get past you by smacking you in the face? You wouldnt just stand back and do nothing would you?

[Ice.Maiden]

Reading through all this sc, I think the reason your age was asked, is because you DO sound terribly young. If you're a qualified accountant, then you'd have to be older than you appear on here, as I have a friend in the trade, and know how many years he spent studying before securing his job. Most intelligent folk facing this dilemma'd know exactly what to expect, as they'd go into a police station and ask, or seek advice from their solicitor - in which case they wouldn't need to post on here. if things are as you say, then again, I sincerely hope your bf's solicitor is a good one.

[sara3]

big "if", methinks...

[scaredycat]

Yes we've been getting advice from a few places but I just thought I'd try this see what ppl thought.
I don't know why your trying to put me down though, I'm only asking questions and answering other peoples as honestly as I can.
I am an AAT qualified accountant, it takes 3 years to achieve, want to check up on me? I started training as soon as I left college and attended YH training college, I work for a chartered accountants. If its cos of the way I come across I can't be bothered typing every word, I'm shattered with a young baby and stressed with all of this, don't be so judgemental
http://www.aat.org.uk/join/display/store4/item 1493/

[pink-kittens]

If you are an accountant why are you worrying about bills ?
you'll know a way round that ;P

[keithlbw]

You say his friend is a fireman .
It explains everything ----- He was showing him his hose !!

[scaredycat]

they aren't gay, my bf was at a urinal and his friend came in and went to the cubicle, they were talking to each other.

[kassiopeia]

I've been reading the comments on this question and just think most of you are complete idiots.

If you have nothing to say other than sniggering childishly about being gay and commenting on spelling (which has absolutely nothing to do with the question!) then why post at all. It's pathetic.

Scaredycat, No-one can tell you what is going to happen because it all depends on the judge/jury. I was charged with the same thing which was also in self defence. My solicitor told me I was looking at 5 years. I took my case to crown court (now I'm not saying you should do the same, just giving an example) and it was thrown out of court. The reason I did this is because they just do not have the patience for stupid cases. They deal with serious cases and if a case comes before them that they think majistrates could have dealt with, it doesn't please them. This is risky though as it could work the other way and you would get a harsher sentence.

This p.o was off duty so had no right trying to enforce his powers on your boyfriend. It is just like your next door neighbour doing it! He also didn't identify himself as such AND attacked your boyfriend. Try not to worry too much as I'm sure that if he is found guilty, it will be of a lesser charge. I can't see how they can make wounding with intent stick! Where's the intent for a start? Whatever he was doing in that cubicle and whether or not the door was open or shut, he did not enter that toilet nor decide while he was in there that he was going to injure this anonymous man. He was attacked and retaliated!!

[gravthechav]

he is obviouisly in denial about bieng GAY

[RevFunk]

Unless I'm stupid:

No witnesses
No CCTV


How did you boyfriend get identified?
How did he find out the next day that the bloke was a copper?

[LeMarchand]

At the risk of seeming that everyone is picking on you, I have to say that if I was on the jury (and I've done 2 stints) and was presented with you as a witness, I'd have serious doubts about credibility:

my bf was at a urinal and his friend came in and went to the cubicle, they were talking to each other.

Doesn't fit with:

they were both in a cubicle

I know they weren't doing anything, the door was open

his friend was on the loo and my bf stood at the door

Also:

someone tried to enter and was accusing them of taking cocaine then He tried to get to our friend but my boyfriend stopped him

Stop him from what - seeing the totally imaginary cocaine? Surely a better course of action would have been to let the mystery guy see that there was nothing? If the door was open, it's not as if your bf's friend was shy about his bits being on show.

We could just about chalk that up to drunken stupidity, but continuing the fight when his friend had walked out and then pushing the officer so hard that he punctured a lung on a urinal (something I'm having huge difficulty in picturing just how it could happen) is pretty violent, and cannot be purely put down to excessive alcohol.

[Oneeyedvic]

This p.o was off duty so had no right trying to enforce his powers on your boyfriend. It is just like your next door neighbour doing it!

Rubbish - a Police Officer retains their legislative powers
whether on or off duty.

[RevFunk]

I know someone in the police, during his initial training he was told:

"If you're out having a drink and you see a fight break out don't get involved"

[scaredycat]

well my credibility is nothing to do with it I'm not a witness, just saying what I've been told. I was wrong to start with by saying that they were in there together, I asked him after and I got it wrong, he was at a urinal and his friend went to the cubicle.
No cctv, the witness is his friend who's a fireman, and when they were arrested they were told he was a copper. Someone in the pub had told the police who they were

[scaredycat]

re kassiopeia thanks for that hopefully things will be the same as you