Man avoids jail after assaulting woman and off-duty PC helper
A MAN who attacked two women in the street – including an off-duty PC – while on a suspended sentence for smashing a bottle on a man’s head has avoided jail.
Dean Evans launched an unprovoked assault on a woman who had just got out of a taxi outside Swansea Central police station on the evening of February 1, punching her twice in the face.
By chance, a constable was leaving the station at the end of her shift at the same time. She shouted at the defendant to stop, identified herself as an officer, and ran to help.
Evans responded by punching his first victim once more then striking the PC in the face.
Swansea Crown Court heard Evans was described as being “agitated” and “bouncing on his toes”.
Rhys Thomas, prosecuting, said, after hitting the two women, the 27-year-old ran off shouting “come on then”.
The PC checked on the welfare of the first woman, then called for colleagues and went after Evans – but he could not be found. However, Evans was recognised by police from CCTV footage of the incident, and, following an appeal to the public, the defendant handed himself in.
Evans, of Caebricks Road, Cwmbwrla, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating when he appeared in the dock.
He committed the Grove Place attacks while the subject of a suspended prison sentence for inflicting grievous bodily harm – that incident had seen him smashing a bottle on a man’s head on New Year’s Eve 2015.
Andrew Evans, for the defendant, said his client wanted to work with probation to address the issues he had.
Recorder Timothy Petts said a probation report stated there was more work to be done to tackle Evans’ anger management issues.
For each assault Evans was sentenced to eight weeks in prison suspended for six months, both to run concurrently, and was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work. For breaching the suspended sentence, Evans was ordered to do 50 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay each woman £150 compensation.