A YOUNG man is on trial charged with assaulting a police officer who was trying to break up a fight, a jury has heard.

Connor Fagan, 20, has been charged with one count of assaulting an emergency worker on September 11, 2021.

He is on trial at Oxford Crown Court where it was heard Fagan had been engaged in a fight with another unknown male in Oxford when the alleged incident happened.

READ MORE: Mystery surrounds death of retired teacher

Giving evidence on Monday (February 19), the officer said he saw Fagan and the other male fighting at the junction of Park End Street and Worcester Street.

He said he had ‘taken Fagan down from behind’ when the alleged assault took place and he suffered an injury to his knee and face.

Explaining the injury, he said: “My MRI results shows damage to the Hoffa's pad which is a fat pad to the front of the knee.”

Oxford Mail: The junction of Park End Street and Worcester Street The junction of Park End Street and Worcester Street (Image: Google)He said he also had superficial injuries to the face after being punched in the face which ‘healed shortly after’.

In cross-examination, the officer was asked if he had announced to Fagan he was a police officer when he approached him from behind but the officer said he ‘couldn’t recall’.

“The only times I recall speaking to Mr Fagan was when we were on the floor and I made the arrest and said, ‘Don’t bite me I’m a police officer’,” he said.

READ MORE: Scales of Justice: The latest cases from Oxford Magistrates' Court

When asked he didn’t immediately announce he was an officer to Fagan, he said: “The incident happened, I don’t know the specific distance, but when I saw the altercation somebody to me looked like they were going to get hurt.

“I acted as a police officer with what I saw in front of me and I stopped the fight from happening.

"I don’t recall saying anything to either party.

“My sole intention as a police officer is to preserve life and the fight in front of me needed to be stopped.”

The officer was also asked if he was aware Fagan had an alleged cut to his right eyelid, causing bleeding into his eye which could have impacted his vision when he ‘taken down’ by the officer.

“I didn’t see any injuries to his face,” he said.

READ MORE: Murder-accused woman to give evidence in stand

The jury also heard a dispute about how the officer had ‘taken down’ Fagan.

An entry in his notepad said the officer used a ‘headlock’ manoeuvre to take him down.

However, he explained to the jury that he started using a ‘seatbelt’ manoeuvre to get Fagan onto the ground but during the process it ‘ended up’ being more like a headlock.

The trial continues.