PRISONER RESTRAINED BY SIX CUSTODY OFFICERS
MAN ADMITS CHARGES OF ASSAULT AND CRIMINAL DAMAGE
A SNARLING prisoner had to be restrained by SIX custody officers after angrily kicking off and violently struggling in a court’s dock.
Mayhem broke out in the secure glassfronted dock at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court when furious defendant Liam James turned nasty and became violent.
The warning signs began early when 26-year-old James was brought up to the dock in custody and was asked for his address.
He said he was living at the Salvation Army hostel and aggressively branded it “the biggest dump in the country”. He admitted charges of assault and criminal damage at the hostel on Tuesday, but became angry when asked for his plea on a charge of attempted theft.
He started arguing about whether he was guilty or not guilty and demanded that the Grimsby Telegraph be brought in to investigate “corruption” at the court.
“I want the Grimsby Telegraph to come down and see me about this corruption,” he shouted.
“All I am doing is wanting my rights.” James started struggling violently in the secure dock and two custody officers restrained him, wrestled him to the floor and tried to hold him down.
He continued struggling, swearing and shouting and four more custody officers came up the stairs from the cells to help restrain him.
They quickly succeeded in pinning him down and he was taken down the stairs to the cells, still struggling.
James continued shouting: “All I want is my f***ing rights.”The decision was taken to remand him in custody because it was not realistic to proceed further with the case. He is expected to appear via a video link from prison next week.
James was a youth and had just turned 17 when he was given a two-year antisocial behaviour order at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court.
He was jailed for seven months at Grimsby Crown Court in 2017 after he and an accomplice targeted a vulnerable hospital patient on crutches for a “particularly spiteful and nasty” theft.
The victim was awaiting a hip replacement operation but had quietly nipped out of hospital shortly before the theft. James showed him a metal pole and warned him that he would “get some of this”.
The man’s wallet and mobile phone were stolen.
Later, in 2017, he was described as among “Grimsby’s Most Wanted” when police wanted to arrest him for numerous thefts.