‘He was Pava sprayed but this had no effect’
POLICE shot violent Alexander Jenkinson with a taser stun gun - after he stole his mum’s car and wrote it off in a crash.
The 20-year-old became aggressive when officers attended the crash scene and sprayed him with the incapacitant spray Pava.
But when that did not work officers used a taser to detain him.
North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard Jenkinson took his mum’s Vauxhall Zafira from her home near Leek at 11.40pm on August 20.
Prosecutor Sara Beddow said: “The defendant’s mother reported to the police that her son had stolen her car.
“Shortly afterwards he crashed it causing substantial damage to the car and street furniture. The vehicle was written off.
“He was found next to the car. When he was arrested he was violent towards officers.
“He was Pava sprayed but this had no effect.
“He was tasered and arrested just before midnight.
“The defendant was described as being extremely angry and hostile towards officers, ‘clearly wanting to fight.’ There was a struggle, he was throwing punches.”
The court heard Jenkinson provided a positive roadside breath test.
But he needed hospital treatment and was below the drink-drive limit when he was breath-tested for a second time at 1.45am.
Jenkinson, of Fountain Street, Leek, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and driving without insurance as well as two charges of assaulting an emergency worker.
Simon Dykes, mitigating, said: “He went to his mother’s house.
“He had been feeling down on the night in question.
“He wanted to speak to his on-off girlfriend who lived in Abbey Hulton. He accepts he took the car.
“He was uncooperative with officers but he did eventually calm down. This was more of a struggle.
“He threw a punch, no contact was made. The police got control of the situation.
“He has been going through a lot of personal difficulties. It’s totally and utterly out of character for him.”
Jenkinson was handed a 12-month community order with a 24-day rehabilitation requirement and 60 hours unpaid work.
He was disqualified from driving for 24 months and must pay £135 costs and a £90 victim surcharge.