Man threatened ‘to find’ families of police officers

A h eav i l y c o nv i c te d m a n told police to “eat poo and die” when they confronted him about why he was walking through Sunderland city centre late at night with a child.

Jobless Dexter Ferguson, 45, of Tower Street, Hendon, Sunderland, made the remark after first telling them, “I’m blind and I’m dumb”.

Ferguson was stopped by officers at 11.30pm in Suffolk Street on Saturday, November 21, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Becky Slade told the court he was uncooperative when questioned in the street.

And she said Ferguson, whose criminal record runs to 63 previous convictions f ro m 1 2 6 o f fe n c e s , m ad e threats against the police.

These included vowing to find out where they lived and making threats against their relatives.

Ms Slade told the magistrates: “Two officers noticed the defendant walking in Suffolk Street in Sunderland.

“It is cold, and it is 11.30 at night and he is with a child. He tells them, ‘I’m blind and I’m dumb’.

“He gritted his teeth and refused to engage with the officers about the welfare of the child.

“He told the officers to ‘eat poo and die’, and he also told them he would find out where they lived and where their nans lived. His eyes were glazed.

“T h e d e fe n d a nt h a s a lengthy record.”

Ms Slade told the hearing Ferguson was last in court in August, when he was made subject to a one-year community order for an electronic communications offence.

Richard Copsey, defending Ferguson, who did not attend the hearing, said: “The only instruction I have is that he’s on benefits and he pleads guilty.”

Ferguson pleaded guilty in his absence to being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

M a g i s trate s f i n e d h i m £120 and ordered him to pay £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge

Jo h n L e e, c h a i r o f th e magistrates’ bench, told the court that the money would be added to existing fines Ferguson owes the court.

He said the defe ndant must pay the fine and other charges at a rate of £20 a month, with the first payment within 28 days.