A shocking assault in Basildon has resulted in Justin Jackson being sentenced to nearly four years in prison after he doused eight police officers with petrol, hospitalising two of them. The 28-year-old was sentenced to three years and nine months at Basildon Crown Court today for deliberately attacking officers with a noxious substance.
The incident occurred on Sunday 5 May during a police operation monitoring a motorbike stunt event in Canvey. The motorbike rider was performing dangerous wheelies, driving recklessly across pedestrian areas, and travelling the wrong way down roads, nearly causing a collision with a car.
With assistance from a police helicopter, officers tracked the motorbike to Ward Close, Basildon, where the rider was arrested at gunpoint using Tasers. During the arrests, Justin Jackson suddenly charged at the officers from behind carrying a red watering can filled with petrol. He poured the flammable liquid over all eight officers.
Two officers required hospital treatment after accidentally swallowing or inhaling the petrol, while six others suffered burns or had petrol in their eyes and were treated at the scene.
Despite the terrifying attack, all eight officers returned to duty the same day. Superintendent Jonathan Baldwin, one of the officers affected, said: “The events of that day will always remain with me. The physical pain fades, but the fear it sparked stays. Every operational call makes me think back to the moment someone shouted ‘petrol!’”
He added, “What makes me proud is that none of us took any sick leave. We come back because we don’t do this just for ourselves, but for the public.”
Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington also praised the officers’ resilience and condemned the attack: “When news broke of this horrific assault, it shook us all. These officers were doing their duty protecting the public. Their bravery and restraint were first class.”
He continued, “No officer should face this kind of attack. I’m glad the court has sent a strong message by jailing Jackson. If you assault our officers, we will pursue you relentlessly and ensure you face justice.”
Additional sentences were handed down for related offences linked to the same event. A 17-year-old from Basildon was fined and banned from driving for 12 months after dangerous driving. Janine Justin, 47, also from Ward Close, received a nine-month suspended sentence for possession of an offensive weapon, was fined £140, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. Shannon Jackson, 20, faces trial for obstructing a constable, with her next hearing scheduled for February.
Two others, a 30-year-old Basildon man and a 17-year-old girl from Corringham, were released without charge.
This violent petrol attack has deeply affected Essex Police but has also highlighted the courage and dedication of frontline officers. Justin Jackson now faces a prison sentence reflecting the seriousness of his reckless and dangerous actions.
Originally published by UKNIP.
