A 39-year-old man from Cheltenham has been sentenced to nine months in prison after he bit a police officer on the leg during an arrest in Gloucester, Gloucestershire. Luke Goodhall pleaded guilty to the assault at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on 19 February 2026 following the incident which took place two days earlier. He will now serve the remainder of a previous prison sentence before beginning his new term.
The incident happened on Eastgate Street at approximately 7:30pm on 17 February 2026 while officers were attempting to detain Goodhall for another alleged assault. During the struggle, Goodhall bit an 11-year veteran officer hard enough to pierce his skin and also tried to strike a second officer with his knee. At the time of the attack, Goodhall was out of prison on licence, meaning he was still under legal supervision following a past sentence.
According to Gloucestershire Police, the arrest was filmed by a bystander and shared online without sound, leading to claims that the officer had used too much force. The police department later released bodycam footage which captured the suspect laughing about the bite. The force’s Professional Standards Department reviewed the full video and concluded that the officer’s use of force was proportionate, necessary, and legitimate.
Temporary Inspector Adam Williams from the Gloucestershire Police Federation noted that nearly 49,000 assaults on officers take place every year across the country. This means a police officer is attacked roughly every 10 minutes in the UK. Temporary Chief Superintendent Erica Field added that the police will not tolerate such violence and will always push for those responsible to be prosecuted.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
