Murderer punched, bit and hit Leeds police officers with baton during street struggle
A man serving life for murdering a teenager has been handed a new sentence for attacking police officers four years ago.
Philip Bryant, who faces a minimum of 27 years behind bars for the Chapeltown killing, admitted attacking the constable and the PCSO in Gipton in 2020.
The 33-year-old was brought back before Leeds Crown Court where he admitted GBH without intent and ABH after he punched, bit and struck the officers with their own baton.
Prosecutor Catherine Duffy said the two officers had been on patrol on the morning of March 15, 2020, when they became concerned about the manner of driving of Bryant behind the wheel of a VW Golf.
They pulled him over on Coldotes Lane in Gipton and he gave them his name. He said it was his girlfriend’s car and that he was insured as a named driver.
Appearing to try and hide something in his tracksuit bottoms, the police tried to get him out of the vehicle but he began lashing out.
PAVA spray was used to try and quell Bryant, but had little effect, the court was told.
He punched one officer to the face and Bryant was struck to the leg by a baton swung by the second officer.
He grabbed the baton himself and swung it at the officer, striking him around the head, before he sunk his teeth into the forearm of the other man.
Bryant, formerly of Skinner Lane, Leeds was able to get free and made off on foot. He handed himself into Elland Road Police Station two days later, but gave a no-comment interview.
The officers both needed hospital treatment. The baton was later recovered and was found to contain Bryant’s fingerprints.
No mitigation was offered by his barrister after Judge Robin Mairs told him his sentence would begin immediately and would be “dwarfed” by his murder conviction.
Bryant, who appeared in court over the video link from HMP Manchester, was given 21 months’ jail.
Bryant was one of three men handed a life sentence in the summer for murdering 19-year-old Emmanuel Nyabako in a gangland show of power.
He suffered “catastrophic injuries” on Francis Street on August 26 last year.
The masked gang, which included Bryant, inflicted 17 stab wounds on the victim before stripping him naked and dragging his body into the street.
It came after shots were fired at two cars containing the defendants earlier in the evening.
Bryant, along with this two co-defendants, denied any involvement but were found guilty after a trial. They were all told they must serve a minimum 27 years behind bars.