Man with knife Tasered three times by police

A MAN armed with a knife had to be Tasered three times by police - because his puffa jacket was so thick it protected him.

Anthony Phillips was holding a knife above his head as he came face-toface with police officers who told him to drop it before using a Taser to stop him. It was only after he had been targeted for a third time that he dropped to the ground and let go of the knife.

Phillips, 40, of Chesterton Road, Radford, was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months by a judge at Warwick Crown Court after pleading guilty to possessing a bladed article.

Prosecutor Richard Franck said that in the early hours of January 30 police received a call to a report that Phillips had been behaving erratically in his home, stabbing the floorboards, before going out with a knife.

Officers went to Overslade Crescent where they saw Phillips, who appeared to have something in his hand – and as they approached him he turned to face them.

“He marched quickly towards them with a knife held above his head, and he was told to stop,” said Mr Franck.

“One officer pulled out his Taser and red-dotted him, and again told him to stop, but he didn’t.”

So the officer fired the Taser, but it seemed to have no effect on Phillips who was wearing a thickly-padded puffa jacket.

And he was Tasered for a second and third time before he went to the ground, and he then dropped the knife when he was told to do so and was arrested.

Mr Franck added that Phillips did have some previous convictions, but nothing relevant and nothing since 2002.

Christopher Jones, defending, said there was a medical report and one from the Crisis Team. Mr Jones said it was “a pretty sad case”, explaining: “He had severe mental problems earlier this year following the death of his sister at the end of last year.

“This was an isolated incident when he just broke down because he couldn’t cope with her death and the funeral. He is now seeking voluntary help for his drinking.”

Sentencing Phillips and ordering him to take part in a rehabilitation activity and to pay £340 costs, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano told him: “Having had much too much to drink, you were out in the street with a knife in your hand. When officers approached you, you did not stop and put the knife down until they had to Taser you.

“It is clear you were going through severe mental health problems at the time, but having knives in public is very serious.

“You could have hurt yourself or someone else, especially after you had been drinking.” THE last ever bendi-bus ran on the streets of Coventry yesterday - 15 years after the first one took to the number 27 route.

The buses have reached the end of the line and are being scrapped for newer, more efficient models.

Yesterday, the number four was set to make its final journey between University Hospital and Arena Park in a slice of transport history for the city.

Bus 6021 - which has been on the roads since the very beginning in 2003 - was to be retired from service around 6pm.

The bendi-buses carried almost twice as many passengers as double deckers, fitting 120 people on board.

They first came into action between Coventry Rail Station, the city centre and Walsgrave Hospital 15 years ago.

A spokesman for National Express said: “The bendi-buses were bought in 2003, so they are now coming to the end of their natural life as working buses. Buses usually run in service for about 15-16 years. Then they are gradually replaced with newer - and more efficient - vehicles.”