A man who brandished an extendable baton as he tried to rob an off-duty special police constable in daylight on a Carlisle street has been given a lengthy prison sentence.
Wojciech Goracy, 28, approached the man as he was stood on Chiswick Street Close to the city centre at around 2.45pm on December 8 last year.
When Goracy said “cash”, the man replied that he didn’t have any and also put away a mobile phone the stranger was looking at. Goracy then said “give me £10” in a forceful manner and, when told again the man didn’t have any, forcefully replied “we go bank”.
When the man said no, Goracy drew a retractable baton from a strap bag by his right hip, opened the implement and raised it above his head in one hand, extending the other toward his victim.
Carlisle Crown Court heard the man feared he was about to be struck. Prosecutor Tim Evans said: “He notes that he has five-and-a-half years’ experience as a special constable with Cumbria police. He has seen multiple conflict situations during that time but says that even he feared for his life during this moment.”
He yelled “police officer” in a bid to try and stop Goracy and called 999. He then followed the would-be robber down an alleyway on to Chatsworth Square when the crook again extended his baton, causing the man to again fear he would be struck.
Police arrived and Goracy, of Howard Place, Carlisle, was arrested. He later admitted attempted robbery, offensive weapon possession and illegally having a small amount of cannabis. The court heard he had a robbery conviction dating back to 2012 and affray from 2017, both in his native Poland.
Jeff Smith, defending, said Goracy had been very drunk. “He had met a friend and together they had drunk far too much,” said Mr Smith. “He can remember, as the pre-sentence report recites, nothing at all about the commission of this offence.”
Passing a 30-month prison sentence, Judge Barker said Goracy’s offending was aggravated by his intoxication. “He feared that you intended to inflict violence upon him,” said Judge Barker of the victim.
“You are at a loss as to why you committed the offence because you had no need for money on that day. You express sadness and remorse for the commission of this offence and I accept that your remorse is genuine.”
