A convicted killer attempted to throw a police officer over a balcony after consuming 1.5 litres of vodka, a court has heard. Guy Pottle, 39, attacked PC Alice Beer at a flat complex in Newton Abbot, Devon, on February 10, 2026. The officer, who had recently completed her training, was struck in the face with a glass bottle and then lifted off the ground as Pottle tried to force her over the railing.
Attack Details
Police were called shortly after midnight following reports that a man was threatening to jump. PC Beer rushed upstairs with a colleague, but the communal door locked behind her, trapping her alone with Pottle. Body-worn footage captured the terrifying struggle as Pottle hit her with a bottle, leaving her barely able to see through the blood, and then pushed her body 'beyond horizontal' over the balcony edge. She managed to fight him off using incapacitant spray, but not before he landed several more blows to her face. Pottle then jumped from the height and was arrested.
In a victim statement, PC Beer said it had always been her dream to be a police officer, but she did not know if she could continue after the attack. 'Realising Pottle wanted to harm me came as a crushing blow,' she said. 'The attack has changed me forever.'
Pottle's Criminal History
The court heard that Pottle has multiple convictions for violence dating back to 2000, including battery, ABH, and GBH. In 2018, he was convicted of one-punch manslaughter in Exeter city centre after his victim hit his head on the ground outside Tesco. At the time of the latest offence, Pottle was on licence for that manslaughter and subject to a community order for assaulting a police officer.
Prosecutor Brian Fitzherbert said Pottle pushed PC Beer over the railing so far that 'her whole body went beyond horizontal'. PC Beer recalled looking directly at the ground below and thinking Pottle was trying to kill her. She managed to push herself back to her feet, but the footage showed Pottle punching her several more times before she sprayed him.
Court Sentencing
Pottle was originally charged with attempted murder but admitted the lesser charge of attempted GBH at Exeter Crown Court. He also admitted a charge of GBH relating to the same incident. Judge James Patrick sentenced him to 15 and a half years: a custody period of 10 years and six months, with an additional five years on licence due to the danger he poses. The judge said: 'You're an extremely dangerous man and the public needs to be protected from you. What you did was simply chilling. You plainly intended to cause her serious harm. You attacked a public servant coming to help you.'
Defending, Lee Bremridge said Pottle has ADHD and was exposed to violence from a young age. On the night, he had drunk 1.5 litres of vodka and could not remember the attack. Doctors say he has a personality disorder but can be managed with the right support. The judge commended PC Beer for her bravery.
