PC drew her Taser on man armed with screwdriver

A policewoman was forced to withdraw her defensive Taser against a man caught with a screwdriver in Sunderland city centre, a court heard.

Syed Ahmed, 25, had the volt-packing device pointed at him when he initially refused to fully cooperate with police in Park Lane.

Officers were called to deal with Ahmed, of Churchill Street, when he was seen in dispute with two other men on Friday, April 8.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, he admitted having the screwdriver for self-defence – and to being prepared to use it.

He could now be jailed after magistrates ordered an all-options pre-sentence report into his offending.

Prosecutor Claire Armstrong said: “The facts of the matter are that at 3pm, police attended Park Lane.

“There was a report that a male was threatening people with a screwdriver.

"One of those being threatened was a person in a wheelchair.

“Members of the public directed the police to three people who were outside the Boots store.

“They said the men had been talking about pulling knives out in front of each other. One was the defendant.

“The police asked him if he had anything on him, he said, ‘Yes’, and took the screwdriver out.

“The officer states that she got hold of him, but he said that he wasn’t going to be arrested.

“The officer had to withdraw her Taser. He was asked to put his hands behind his back, which he did.”

Miss Armstrong added: “In interview, he said that he had the screwdriver for protection and that he would have used it.

“He also admitted that he knew that it was unlawful to have the screwdriver.”

Ahmed pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in public.

The court was told he has a single previous conviction, for a public order offence.

Defence solicitor, also Syed Ahmed, told magistrates they would likely need to order a pre-sentence report.

Ahmed was granted unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Monday, May 9.