Assault on police officer in station

AN arrested man assaulted an officer in a police station.

Barry Winters admitted the offence but his sentence was increased to nine weeks’ imprisonment, as the crime was against an emergency worker.

Caernarfon Magistrates heard the incident happened in Caernarfon police station.

Prosecutor Julia Galston said Winters, 44, of no fixed address, had been arrested on suspicion of a drunk and disorderly matter in Holyhead on December 23.

In a statement, PC Samuel Thomas said the defendant was under the influence of alcohol and he was taken to the Caernarfon station’s custody suite.

But as he was uncuffing Winters, PC Thomas said the defendant tensed his arms and body and pushed the officer.

PC Thomas said he pushed Winters back against the custody desk but lost his grip of his remaining, cuffed hand.

During the scuffle the men fell to the ground and PC Thomas said Winters tried to wrap his arm around PC Thomas’s neck and shoulder and squeezed, the court heard.

PC Thomas pushed Winters away and got on to his knees.

But the officer says he felt Winters’ leg kicking the back of his head.

He felt groggy and had a headache for the next few hours, said the officer.

He later said: “I do not come to work to be assaulted. Like any member of the public, I do not deserve to be assaulted, especially while doing my job.”

Gareth Parry, defending, said his client had been heavily intoxicated.

But he added: “He believes the police officer misconstrued his body language and pushed him against the wall unnecessarily.”

He said the defendant claimed to have “substantial injuries” as a result of the officers restraining him.

Magistrates chairman Clare Jones jailed Winters for nine weeks and ordered him to pay £154 in compensation to PC Thomas.