Drug user spat at four police officers as they went to arrest him
A DRUG user spat at four police officers as they tried to arrest him in Long Eaton.
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court heard how James Whitworth carried out the disgusting behaviour when officers were called to Bostocks Lane on June 26.
The 34-year-old, who has previous convictions for assault, was arrested, charged with and pleaded guilty to four counts of assaulting an emergency worker, which is what spitting is classed as according to the law.
The hearing was told that at the time of the offences he was “under the influence of class A drugs”.
Whitworth, of no fixed address, was jailed for a year, with magistrates telling him: “Assaults by way of spitting are always serious, especially in the current climate.”
He was also ordered to pay a £156 victim surcharge.
In March, Whitworth was jailed for 18 weeks and was ordered to pay a £122 victim surcharge for two counts of breaching a restraining order in Long Eaton and Ilkeston on February 17 and 18 and for two counts of criminal damage, in Ilkeston and Derby, on October 28 and February 19. And in October last year, the same defendant was jailed for 12 weeks, suspended for a year, and was ordered to pay £150 compensation, £85 costs, a £115 victim surcharge and was handed a two-year restraining order for two counts of assault, in Long Eaton on June 14 and in Sandiacre, on September 15.
James Whitworth
YOUR neighbour sporting a black eye could be a sign they are under the influence of drug dealers in their home, a top police officer has said.
Swadlincote’s Inspector Chris Thornhill has warned that unusual comings and goings from homes, coupled with many strangers pulling up, might mean their neighbours are being “cuckooed” by socalled county lines drug dealers.
Cuckooing is when drug dealers take over the house of a vulnerable person, using them to sell illegal substances from their home in exchange for drugs. The term county lines often refers to drug dealers who come to the county purely to sell drugs away from home.
Inspector Thornhill’s warnings come after two 19-year-old men from the Derby area were arrested
Neighbours might spot unusual comings and goings in their street, or see someone has been injured
on suspicion of possession of cannabis with intent to supply after taking over the home of a vulnerable person in Newhall.
Cash, Class B drugs thought to be cannabis and mobile phones were seized.
They were released under investigation while enquiries continue and the team is supporting the occupant of the home along with other agency partners.
Inspector Thornhill said: “[If someone is being cuckooed] there will be comings and goings from the house. Lots of cars might be pulling up to the address at all times of the day and night.
“Neighbours might see people they don’t recognise going into the house. They would know the person who lives there is vulnerable and may have substance abuse issues.
“The dealers take over the home, often with the premise of giving them drugs
“You might see your neighbour acting differently and they may have been attacked – for example, you may see them with a black eye.
“We cannot be at these addresses 24 hours a day but neighbours are there all day so if they are worried about their neighbours they can get in touch.”