Man threatened police staff in nine early-morning phone calls
A man who fled Iran after criticising its government threatened police staff during nine early morning phone call rants in four hours.
Rasoul Razaei, 47, made them in the belief officers had not acted appropriately when coming to his aid at a SunderlandhostellateonWednesday, January 6.
Hetoldpolicewhoattended thecity’sSalvationArmy’sPoplar House facility in Tatham Street, Hendon, his wallet had beenstolenandhehadbeenassaulted, a court heard.
But drunken Razaei, of Waterloo Walk, Washington, then made the calls just after midnight the next day when he became frustrated at their response.
His exact words used during the communications, which lasted until 4am, were not revealed to magistrates in South Tyneside.
However, prosecutor Leanne Duffy said they had been threatening in nature and each had lasted up to seven minutes.
Razaei has now been fined £100 after pleading guilty to sending a communication or conveying false information which was indecent or grossly offensive.
Ms Duffy said: “The police were called to Poplar House, where the defendant was with two other occupants.
“The defendant began calling the police on his mobile phone, with each call lasting up to seven minutes.
“No call is asking for help. Theyweremadebetweenmidnight and 4am.
“There’s no guidelines for this offence but the starting point would be a fine.”
Greg Flaxen, defending, said his client had come to the UKasastudentafterleafletshe displayed about Iran's government drew the attention of the country’s police.
He added: “Sometimes cultures, sometimes the way he presents himself, one could see it as aggressive, but it’s simply how he deals with people, one to another.
“Hehadbeendrinkingwith afriendandhewasintoxicated. His wallet was stolen, and the police had come.
“He was then attacked, but he felt that the police didn’t want to deal with him.”
At the time of the offence, Razaei was subject to a fourweek prison sentence, suspended for a year, for a public order crime.
Magistrates did not trigger the sentence and send him to prison after hearing it had almost expired when Razaei committed his latest offence.
A new beer toasts the bravery of two war heroes and their fellow servicemen and women.
Sunderland-born brewer Kevin Carr has created DLIPA in memory of his two maternal grandfathers, William Pigg and Syd Elliott, who both served with the 1st Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry in the Second World War.
William, originally from Millfield, contracted TB while on active service in the Middle East and died a year after the conflict ended at the age of 29.
His Army pal, Syd, kept in touch with William’s family and eventually married his widow, Elizabeth, with the couple living in Grindon for many years.
Dr Carr, 51, a former Monkwearmouth School pupil and University of Sunderland student, has now created DLIPA in his parttime role as head brewer for the Barnard Castle Brewing Company.
The beer is also dedicated to the DLI Association after its members visited Syd to mark his 100th birthday at Falstone Manor Care Home, in Sunderland, shortly before his death in 2018.
Dr Carr, who lives in Richmond and is the environmental health team leader with Richmondshire District Council, said: “Durham Light Infantry Association members brought so much pleasure to my grandpa in his final year.
“During his 100th birthday celebration at Falstone
Manor Care Home, he was quite overcome by the attention he received from both the staff and the DLI Association. He was particularly moved when they presented him with the statue of the DLI infantryman, which is a copy of the one in Durham Market Place.”
The DLIPA bottle label incorporates the DLI’s regimental cap badge in gold and is mainly green and red to reflect the regimental colours.
Dr Carr, son of William’s daughter, Eileen Carr, 76,
who lives in Fulwell with husband, Ernest, 79, added: “DLIPA is a tribute to William and Syd and the thousands of other young men and women who either served with the DLI or lost loved ones who did and also to the DLI Association who brought so much joy to Syd on his 100th birthday.”
Syd and Elizabeth’s daughter, Moira Darke, 68, lives in Roker with husband Keith.
Visit www.barnardcastlebrewing.com