A POLICE officer was attacked in the street as she tried to protect a pupil at a Kentish Town school

A POLICE officer was attacked in the street as she tried to protect a pupil at a Kentish Town school.

Jeni Corken, the safer schools officer at Acland Burghley, was kneed in the leg by a 13-year-old Haringey schoolgirl who had come to the Burghley Road secondary to pick a fight with a Year 9 pupil.

Ms Corken, who has been at the school since last July, also suffered a wrenched shoulder in the struggle and has been unable to return to work since the incident outside the school gates around 3.30pm on Monday.

Headteacher Michael Shew, who was at the scene, said: "This girl went to Acland Burghley a couple of years ago and has just been expelled from a school in Haringey. The two girls had a fight as the school was emptying out and Jeni broke it up. When she tried to detain the girl she started to struggle and kneed Jeni in the leg.

"There is far less trouble outside the gates than there used to be but we are an inner city school and we always have to be on the lookout."

Sergeant Dominic Barnes from Camden Police Safer Schools said: "The 13-year-old female was arrested for assault on police and has been bailed.

"This is a very rare and isolated incident.