Newquay: Man charged with arson and GBH after police officer set on fire

Blagovest Hadjigueorguiev due to appear before Truro Magistrates’ Court on Saturday

A man has been charged with arson and causing grievous bodily harm after a police officer suffered severe burns to his arms and legs.

Blagovest Hadjigueorguiev, 30, was also charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent against a second officer, who was uninjured.

He is due to appear before Truro Magistrates’ Court on Saturday to face three charges, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Police were called to Trevenson Road in Newquay at 10.20am on Friday following reports of a man behaving aggressively as bailiffs carried out an eviction on private land.

While at the scene, an unnamed 51-year-old officer suffered “a number of burns to his arms and legs”, the force said, adding that the burns were caused by fire and not by any chemical or corrosive substance.

Chief Superintendent Ian Drummond-Smith, the police commander for Cornwall, said the officer was airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske with “life-changing injuries”.

He tweeted: “He [the officer] was later transferred to Derriford Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition. He is sat up and in good spirits.”

The officer’s family are at his bedside and being supported by the force.

Additional reporting by Press Association