Drunk man put police officer in headlock as he tried to move him out of road
A drunk man who put a police officer in a headlock as he tried to get him out of a town centre road must pay more than £500.
Telford Magistrates Court heard Shrewsbury town rangers found of a disorderly man in the town centre on September 23 last year.
The man was Scott Kerry, who was "looking for a fight", and became aggressive when they asked him to leave. When police arrived they believed he was drunk, but agreed to offer him a lift home after he had been to the toilet and gone into an off licence.
When the staff member in the off licence refused to serve the 28-year-old, he became abusive.
"Police noticed a change in his behaviour," prosecutor, Mrs Katie Price, said. "He began to threaten the police."
Kerry then went into the middle of a road, and defied requests from the officers to come back onto the pavement. When one went to get him out the road, putting his hands up to Kerry's chest to move him, the defendant slapped the officer before putting him in a headlock, who was helped free by his colleague.
Sitting in court, Kerry interrupted to say: "He slapped me first". His constant comments, disputing the prosecutor's case, led to orders from magistrates to keep quiet.
The court also heard how on February 25 this year, he took two bottles of gin worth £36 from Marks & Spencer and a £130 tracksuit from JD Sport. One of the bottles had been opened and half drunk by the time it was found.
Mitigating, Mr Stephen Scully, said the officer had pushed Kerry out of the road.
"The officer said he put his hand on Mr Kerry's chest. He takes it as being pushed, and puts him in a headlock."
He said the defendant has issues with alcohol. Regarding the thefts, Kerry had claimed he needed something to wear.
Mr Scully also said that at his new home, the defendant didn't have day-to-day temptations of alcohol on his doorstep, something that's been an issue in the past when other accommodation has been found for him.
Sentencing Kerry, presiding magistrate David Silcock told him he had "assaulted an emergency worker doing his job and just trying to save your life or from serious injury".
After previously admitting common assault of an emergency worker and two counts of theft, Kerry was given a 16-month community order, along with an alcohol treatment order with 15 rehabilitation activity days.
The defendant, of New Street, Wem, was also fined £50, ordered to pay £18 compensation to Marks & Spencer for one of the gin bottles, as well as prosecution costs of £320 and a £114 surcharge.
