Samuel Shea Davies (25) also admitted violently resisting arrest, damaging a door in a woman’s house while trapping her inside on 23 June, breaching bail conditions and contempt of court.
Appearing in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Davies was jailed for a total of 11 months.
The court heard that he had spat in the officer’s face when he was being arrested on 23 June for breaching his bail conditions. Davies continued to be verbally abusive and threatening towards the police when he was taken to custody.
Chief Officer Robin Smith said after the sentencing: ‘Spitting in someone’s face is abhorrent in any circumstances but made even worse when directed at a police officer going about his lawful duty during a global pandemic.
‘The seriousness of this individual’s actions have clearly been reflected in his sentence. I am confident this will not only reassure officers faced with similar circumstances but will no doubt act as a deterrent in the future.’
Advocate Lauren Taylor, prosecuting, said that, on 9 May, the police had been called to a residential area of St Helier where Davies was shouting abuse in the street.
She said: ‘He told police “if you come near me, I’ll whack you”.’
On 6 June, he had kicked a door in a house in the same area, damaging the lock. Advocate Taylor said: ‘Two women were locked inside. An emergency locksmith had to be called to open the door.’
Davies’s arrest at the Weighbridge on 23 June was for breaking bail conditions. Video footage of him resisting arrest was shown in court.
Davies had initially appeared in court via video link on 9 July but he would not answer questions, repeatedly interrupted proceedings, shouted abuse and insults at Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris and eventually walked off camera. He was charged with contempt of court as a result.
Advocate Julia-Anne Dix, defending, said: ‘In May, Mr Davies’s mental health deteriorated. He had turned to drink as a coping mechanism.
‘The offences were committed while under the influence of alcohol. When he was sober, he was co-operative and expressed remorse for his actions.’
She added that Davies wanted to ‘apologise unreservedly to the court and the officer’ for the spitting charge.
‘He knows he has to address his alcohol consumption. When he curbs his drinking, he doesn’t offend. He is extremely embarrassed by his behaviour,’ she added.
Magistrate Bridget Shaw sentenced him to seven months in prison for breach of the peace and violently resisting arrest in May, two months for assaulting the officer at the Weighbridge, one month for malicious damage and three weeks for contempt of court, all to run consecutively.
The court also heard that Davies had served ten hours of a 40-hour community-service order. The Magistrate revoked the order and replaced it with another week in jail, taking his total sentence to 11 months.
Davies was also ordered to pay £64.85 in compensation and made subject to a restraining order.
