A DRUNK man who struggled with a lone police officer who tried to arrest him after violence flared in Egremont has been sentenced by a judge.
Carlisle Crown Court heard Richard Lee Maurice Bennett was attacked twice amid violent scenes late on August 24 last year.
A single-crewed officer, PC Kearns, approached 27-year-old Bennett, who was surrounded by a large group of bystanders at St Bridget’s Lane. Bennett had been attacked during two separate incidents earlier that night.
He attempted to evade arrest, repeatedly swinging his arm towards the officer. “PC Kearns has deployed incapacitated spray in Bennett’s face and upon this he began to run away,” said prosecutor Tim Evans.
The officer caught up with Bennett, who struggled violently before ultimately being arrested. He later admitted obstructing the PC in the execution of his duty, and was given a 12-month conditional discharge at the crown court.
“You were no doubt drunk that night,” Judge Nicholas Barker said to Bennett, of Fell View Drive, Egremont. “These police officers have an extremely difficult job to do. They turn up, one person, single-crewed and deal with intoxicated, people; belligerent, difficult. They have no idea how events are going to unfold.”