31-year-old broke police constable’s finger and spat at her colleagues

A man who broke a police officer’s finger and spat at three of her colleagues has been spared immediate custody by Bath magistrates this week.

Samuel Young also caused criminal damage to another constable’s watch in the incident which unfolded after his mother called the police as she was concerned about his behaviour.

Prosecutor Michael Collins told the court that when officers turned up at Raglan Close in Chilcompton, Young was extremely non-compliant and violently resisted them.

Young, who caused a hairline fracture to the policewoman’s finger, admitted causing her grievous bodily harm (GBH) without intent.

He also pleaded guilty to three common assaults by spitting, and causing criminal damage. The incident on 30th January was captured on police body-worn cameras.

Young had been due to appear in court on 16th September for sentencing. He had failed to attend an appointment with the Probation Service, and when he failed to turn up in court, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The 31-year-old handed himself in to police on Monday, 28th September, and was brought to court in custody.

Representing Young, solicitor Micia Rigby told the court that the afternoon before the incident, Young had attended the funeral of a close friend and had been emotional and “in drink”.

He did not remember much of what happened but was “remorseful” and wished to apologise to the officers.

The magistrates noted Young’s “extensive” list of previous convictions and that a 12-month community order was imposed last November for a previous conviction for criminal damage.

That order included a nine-month mental health treatment requirement (MHTR) and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days.

They jailed Young for a total of 13 weeks, suspended for 12 months. He received eight weeks for GBH and five weeks for each of the three common assaults, to run concurrently but consecutively to the GBH sentence.

He was also given another community order which includes a nine-month MHTR and 10 RAR days. The current community order will stay in place until it expires in November.

Young must pay £200 compensation to the officer whose finger was fractured and £100 to each of the three officers he spat at. There was no separate penalty for the criminal damage, but Young must pay £50 compensation to that police officer.

The magistrates made no order for prosecution costs or court surcharge as they said they were prioritising compensation.

The chair of the bench advised Young to “stay off alcohol and start drinking Coca-Cola”.

He wished Young, who is due to start a new job, good luck, adding: “Let’s hope we don’t see you again.”