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Justin McAreavey slashed open cop's head
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Sgt Mark Wright's injuries
This is the thug who slashed a police officer’s head open in front of his two young children.
Justin McAreavey has been sentenced to seven years for a vicious assault on Sgt Mark Wright which left him with two gaping wounds to his head.
The officer spoke out bravely last week about the life and death situation he and his colleagues faced when they responded to a cry for help.
And he said he was lucky his injuries weren’t more severe.
McAreavey, 42, from Filbin Crescent in Lurgan pleaded guilty to a string of offences relating to the incident, which started over a domestic row.
He had earlier assaulted two women and then locked himself into the house with two children, aged just one and three.
When police responded to reports of a domestic incident on February 5, 2012 they found McAreavey armed with two knives.
As officers tried to get into the house he lashed out and caught Sgt Wright twice with the knife, leaving one massive wound to his forehead and an even bigger gash across the back of his head.
McAreavey also attempted to assault another officer before he was restrained and disarmed.
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Sgt Mark Wright
Lifting the lid on the hazardous situations PSNI officers face every day Sgt Wright said last week: “For all of the police who attended that night this was a life and death situation.
“We knew there was a man in the house who had already assaulted a number of women and that two young children were also present in the house.
“Our priority was to ensure the safety of the kids. When the man appeared at the door, armed with two knives, our first priority was to disarm him and that’s what we did.
“While I was injured I was not the only police officer there. This was a team effort and we worked together to make sure everyone came through the incident safely,” said the officer.
While the perpetrator was taken away the youngsters, who were uninjured were taken to safety.
During McAreavey’s sentencing last month the police team were commended in court for using minimum force, which was described as meritorious and proportionate.
He was given seven years for affray, assault on police, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon.
Sgt Wright welcomed the length of the tariff.
“I believe this was a fair sentence for fairly nasty and serious offences,” he said.
“I was lucky in this instance that my injuries were superficial but it has still taken time for myself and the other officers who attended that evening to process the incident and the danger we faced.
“I really hope that something worthwhile comes from this and that the local community will have more confidence in us and reporting incidents to us.”
He added that he hoped the response to the incident underlined officers’ professionalism.
“I am aware of the perception in some communities that police are heavy handed and I hope the comments from the judge dispel some of this thinking.
“I hope that this incident and sentence show this community that we are there to protect and help them and that we will carry out our duty professionally and respond to each call, regardless of who makes it or where it comes from, with the safety of the victim as our first priority,” said Sgt Wright.
roisin.gorman@nth.sundayworld.com