On Tuesday 7 November 2023, Kent Police received a report that a van had been stolen from a garage belonging to a business in Sittingbourne High Street. One of the company’s employees checked an onboard tracker and was able to alert officers to its location.

The van was spotted in Church Lane and a patrol caused it to stop by pulling in front of it. The driver, Kyle Tyler, was then arrested and taken into custody. Once at the police station, Tyler spat on the floor of his cell and kicked one of the officers.

Tyler, of Victoria Road, Chatham was later charged by investigators from the Swale Victim Based Crime Team with burglary, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis, criminal damage and assaulting an emergency worker. The 44-year-old pleaded guilty at his first hearing before Medway Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 9 November. He was immediately sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment and will be disqualified from driving for 16 months.

District Commander for Swale, Chief Inspector Diane Middlemiss, said: ‘This offender has learnt to his cost that our patrols will quickly respond to crimes if we are alerted when they are happening. He has also learned that assaulting a police officer will have a significant effect on any sentence he receives at court.

‘Constables and other emergency workers should be able to complete their duties without being attacked by violent individuals. Criminals who seek to cause injury to those who are responding to calls for assistance from the public can expect to be arrested, charged and swiftly brought to justice.’