A police officer has told jurors how the atmosphere changed during an anti-vax protest when a digital display van was targeted and they stepped in to intervene.

Three protesters are on trial for assaulting police officers when the peaceful protest turned ugly as police attempted to arrest one man in Middlesbrough town centre.

CCTV footage showed PC Paul Crowley try to move Andrew Garner out of the way after he grabbed the keys out of the van and through them onto a ledge outside Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

The officer said he initially wanted to take the 65-year-old’s name and address but when he resisted, he tried to put handcuffs on him and a struggle ensued and he was pushed in the chest.

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PC Crowley said: “He pulled back and there was a melee, he pulled his arm back and I thought he was going to run off.”

Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, asked the officer if he was in full uniform at the time? He replied: “Yes, I was in full uniform and wearing a high-vis jacket.”

The officer added: “When he pulled back, I recognised the situation had changed and I needed to arrest him to stop him escaping.

“As I tried to put the handcuffs on him, he lashed out and struck me at chest height and was at that point that some of the other protesters started coming over.”

Teesside Crown Court heard how other protesters swarmed around the officers as they tried to restore order.

Garner’s wife, Julie, then became involved when she tried to intervene and assaulted four officers by grabbing at their jackets while pushing or pulling them.

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The judge heard how the Garners were both arrested on the day of the protest in July 2021, and their co-accused was arrested when he was recognised at a similar protest in Newcastle the following month.

Mrs Garner, 60, of Chelmsford Avenue, Stockton, has pleaded not guilty to four charges of assaulting an emergency worker, her husband Andrew, of the same address has denied one charge of assaulting an emergency worker.

A third man, Malcolm Lewis, of Chepstow Gardens, Newcastle, also denies a single charge of assaulting an emergency worker following the protest on July 31, 2021.

The trial continues.