A 25-YEAR-OLD man who hit a police officer and spat in his face has been jailed for seven months.
The States police were called to an address in St Clement at 9.50pm on 22 October, as Dane Walsh was outside swearing and shouting abuse at another man, the Magistrate’s Court heard.
‘He [Walsh] was not wearing a shirt, despite it being October,’ Centenier Amanda Wright told the court.
Walsh, the court heard, was drunk and officers arrested him on suspicion of causing a breach of the peace.
The Centenier said: ‘He tried to pull away and carried on shouting and swearing, and threatened to head-butt a police officer.’
He was brought to the ground but threw a punch at an officer, hitting him in the mouth, and spat at him.
Walsh admitted the charges of assaulting a police officer, violently resisting arrest and acting in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace.
Advocate Mike Preston, defending, said: ‘Mr Walsh knows there was no excuse for his disgraceful behaviour. He takes full responsibility for it.
‘He has expressed sincere remorse and has asked me to apologise for what he did.’
The lawyer added that Walsh had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, and that since being released on police bail had stopped drinking and sought help from the Alcohol and Drugs Service.
Advocate Preston also pointed out that Walsh was in a stable relationship, with a girlfriend and one-year-old child, and argued: ‘Custody would have a disastrous effect on this young family.’
However, the Magistrate, Bridget Shaw, ruled that he should serve time in prison. She also banned him from licensed premises for a year.
