Dozens start 2017 in custody after a rowdy New Year’s Eve

Dozens of people in Norfolk started 2017 behind bars, after a rowdy New Year's Eve which left custody centres brimming and one officer with a fractured jaw.

Seventy-five people were in custody across Norfolk as of 7am yesterday, after what is traditionally one of the busiest nights for blue lights services.

Det Con Kim Taylor said on Twitter that the force's investigation centres were at capacity, during a night which saw several officers assaulted – something Ch Insp Lou Provart branded 'shameful'.

The 75 arrests included: 35 for violent crimes, 16 drunk and disorderly, eight drink or drug driving, two robberies, two thefts, one sexual assault, one criminal damage, four drug-related offences and six which were classed as miscellaneous.

Ch Insp Provart, deputy head of Norfolk Constabulary's community safety department, said while the figures were 'huge',

they were not out of line

with previous New Year's Eves.

'Any other time, it would be an unusually large number of people to be landed in custody,' he said, 'but for this time of year it is expected.

'We know there will inevitably be people drinking to excess and though this does not excuse their actions, we are prepared for it.'

He said the officer with the fractured jaw had been assaulted during an arrest in Wymondham, but had now been discharged from hospital, while the assaults on the other policemen and women did not require them to be taken off shift.

'It is shameful,' he said. 'Any behaviour which causes injury to an officer who is trying to protect people is disgraceful and anyone inflicting injury will be brought to justice.'

Breckland Police said on Twitter that one drink driver had been arrested on the A47 at Wendling, having recorded 121 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath - almost four times the legal limit of 35.