A COUPLE assaulted police officers who were alerted to a block of flats following a disturbance, a court heard.

Jody Bagwell, 33, admitted two counts of assault by beating of two separate police officers and his partner Kyra Boardman, 26, admitted one count of assault by beating of a police officer - after she grabbed an officer by the testicles.

The charges refer to an incident on August 26, 2022, after police were called to a disturbance on Linden Avenue in Dorchester, where both defendants live.

Weymouth Magistrates Court heard police attended after people in one of the flats continuously rang the fire alarms, causing all residents to evacuate.

Nicola Reece, prosecuting, said: “Police were called to a dispute among neighbours; eight people were stood outside an address where the fire alarm was sounding.

“The tenants of one of the flats had been setting the fire alarm off continuously.

“Boardman and Bagwell were in the group of people outside the flat and Bagwell began shouting at officers.

“Another resident came out of the flat and Boardman marched towards them, police took hold of her to prevent her from approaching.

“At this point, Bagwell became aggressive and punched a police officer in the back of the head, Boardman grabbed the officer’s testicles and seized them."

A second police officer also reported being assaulted by Bagwell after reviewing bodycam footage after the altercation.

Simon Lacey, mitigating for Boardman, said: “The couple phoned the police because of the behaviour of their neighbours. She saw what the officer was doing to her partner and reacted.

“She says she felt concerned for her partner and grabbed the officer by the lower waste, she did not intend to grab his testicles but says she must have done, she wanted to move him away.”

Kenny Sharpe, mitigating for Bagwell, said: “He saw his partner being grabbed by police and her glasses went flying.

“He interjected into a messy situation and struck a police officer because he had a genuine concern for his partner’s safety.

“He accepts it was the wrong thing to do.”

Boardman was given a conditional discharge for six months, meaning if she commits another offence in that period of time she will face punishment for both offences.

She must pay a £26 surcharge and costs of £85.

Bagwell was given a conditional discharge for two years and must pay £150 in compensation to one of the police officers.

He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £26 and costs of £40.