A MAN who threw a chilli-laden kebab in the face of a policeman has been jailed for assault.
The kebab hit PC Darren Dixon in the right eye causing "irritation", Wakefield magistrates heard.
Prosecutor Richard Ogden told how PC Dixon was workin
g on the helpdesk at Wood Street Police Station late on July 10 when an intoxicated Steven Henry Batley came in clutching a pizza box containing a kebab.
Batley said he was of no fixed abode, despite being on bail and on licence. He said he should be recalled to prison.
But the officer told him that was for prison and probation officials to decide and refused to lock him up for the night.
Batley threatened to go out and smash up a police car but eventually calmed down. He returned 20 minutes later demanding to be put in the cells, but the officer once again refused to arrest him.
The court heard Batley put the food carton down on the counter and said, "here, you might as well have this then," before throwing the kebab at the officer.
The contents of the carton hit the officer on the front of his shirt and in the face. Some of the food got into his eye causing "some irritation".
A colleague noticed that PC Dixon's white shirt was covered in a "pink substance" and he had food remnants on his shirt and face.
Batley, of Albion Mews, Middlestown, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer.
He also admitted a separate matter of breach of a non-molestation order by going to his ex-wife's property in Middlestown on July 16, which he was barred from going within 100 yards of.
Lucy Malpas, mitigating, said Batley deeply regretted the kebab incident, was full of remorse and wanted to apologise to the officer.
She said Batley had become dependent on alcohol recently and suffered from depression.
Magistrate Pamela White ordered Batley be returned to prison for 30 days to serve an unexpired part of an earlier sentence.
He was jailed for 26 weeks consecutive for breaching the non-molestation order and six weeks concurrent for assaulting PC Dixon.
by Charlie Bullough
charliebullough@wakefieldexpress.co.uk
