A POLICE officer has been stabbed while arresting a suspect in the Taunton area.

PCSO Sam Bushen was attacked with a pair of scissors during the incident in Monkton Heathfield on Tuesday evening.

The injuries to father-of-two PCSO Bushen, 29, are not believed to be serious.

Sam Reynolds, 35, of no fixed address in Taunton, has appeared in court charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm in connection with the incident.

Reynolds has also been charged with three counts of non-dwelling burglary, threatening a person with a sharply-pointed article, eight counts of theft-related offences and breach of an existing court order.

The burglary and theft-related charges are in connection with a number of incidents in Taunton.

Reynolds appeared at Taunton Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday, August 7), when he was remanded in custody.

He will next appear at Taunton Crown Court on September 6 for sentencing.