Image credit: Abaas Khalil
A man from Castleford has received a four-month jail sentence after assaulting two police officers while resisting arrest.
The police were attending the home of Danny Pugh, 30, of Queens Park Drive in March to investigate allegations that were later dropped.
The prosecutor said that when police arrived Pugh “was found crying on his bedroom floor”. Officers also spotted “Stanley knives and screwdrivers” in his bedroom.
On trying to arrest him, PC Campbell’s watch was torn from his wrist and his police radio from his vest. PC Hall sustained a “bust lip”.
Mr Pugh appeared in court for two counts of assault and one of possessing cannabis.
Miss Sharif, the solicitor representing Mr Pugh, said he was experiencing severe depression after “the breakdown of his marriage and the suicide of his best friend”.
Mr Pugh was also in possession of cannabis, which Miss Sharif explained was to relieve his depression.
The defence also said Mr Pugh pleaded guilty at the “earliest opportunity”, showing remorse for his actions.
Mr Pugh was remanded for nine weeks before his court appearance, Miss Sharif reiterated this to the magistrates, saying “it would be unjust to impose a further eight weeks”.
Mr Pugh was told the assaults would result in a 10-week custodial sentence, with an extra two weeks due to the emergency services status of the victims. However, this 12-week sentence was dropped to eight weeks as Mr Pugh pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
He received a further eight-weeks for violating pre-existing suspended sentence order (SSO). He got no penalty for possessing the class B drug due to its small quantity.
Probation claimed that “there is nothing available within the community” for Mr Pugh, resulting in the activation of the SSO for a consecutive eight-weeks. In total, Mr Pugh received a 16-week sentence and a £239 fine, including court fees. The fees included a £154 fine, as well as £85 to be paid in fees for the court.