Officers are praised for defusing ‘frightening’ incident
POLICE officers have been praised for their handling of the stand off.
In a statement read out in court, PC Rob Fisher said it was the closest he had come to injury in his 11 year career, adding: “If it wasn’t for the quick actions of the officers, there would have been injuries to either the police or others.
“The incident has left some officers deeply affected.”
Two psychiatric medical reports argued that Al-Zidgali’s mental state reduced his culpability significantly.
Sentencing Al-Zidgali to undergo mental health and alcohol treatment and a two year supervision order, Judge Neil Flewitt said: “It was a frightening experience for your parents and terrifying for the officers sent to deal with you, particularly because of the threats to kill, particularly because of the harm you posed in such a volatile state.
“Officers had genuine fears you would harm them. Ordinarily this would be a prison sentence, but your mental health was particularly fragile. You have depression, alcohol dependance and a mental disorder due to cannabis use. It remains fragile because of the stress of your time in prison [on remand].”