Drunken man headbutted, bit and spat at police on Christmas work's night out in Wakefield

A drunken reveller on a Christmas work's night out in Wakefield who headbutted, bit and spat at police officers, a court was told.
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Thomas Graham, 25, had been drinking heavily on Westgate when officers tried to remove him from a bar on the evening of December 17 last year.

Prosecutor Emily Hassell told Leeds Crown Court that two officers had visited the licensed premises at around 11.20pm on an unrelated matter but came across Graham who was clearly intoxicated and unsteady on his feet.

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He had to be escorted from the premises but refused to go, holding onto railings outside the bar before being prised away.

Westgate, Wakefield.Westgate, Wakefield.
Westgate, Wakefield.

He then sat on the pavement and began swearing at the officers, so he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

When they tried to lift him up he spat in their direction and headbutted a female officer, causing swelling to her lower lip.

A van had to be called after he refused to get into the police car. Once inside the van his behaviour became erratic and switched between crying, being hysterical and verbally abusive.

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They had to carry him into the police station and when he was lifted to the custody desk, he bit the wrist of an officer, sinking his teeth through the officer's latex gloves and into his skin.

He was interviewed the next day and claimed he could not remember the incident, saying he was "11 out of 10" on a scale of how drunk he was.

He admitted two assaults against emergency workers.

The court was told that Graham, of South Parade, Cleckheaton, has a previous conviction for supplying drugs in 2019, and subsequently, has twice breached the court order he received.

Mitigating, Gareth Henderson-Moore said: "He is a relatively young man who is lightly convicted but there are no offences for violence recorded against him.

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"He was invited on a work's Christmas night out, his boss was buying the drinks and he drank a quantity of Stella lager which had a significant effect on him.

"He has not touched alcohol since and has no interest in touching alcohol."

He said that Graham has a baby less than a year old and a partner whom he supports.

In a letter written by Graham read out by Mr Henderson-Moore he said: "I have the utmost respect for the police. There is no excuse for the way I have acted on that night and only have myself to blame".

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Judge Andrew Stubbs QC pondered over whether to send Graham directly to jail, given he has twice breached a community order linked to his drugs conviction.

He told him: "Your record does you no credit. You drank yourself into a stupor that night and plainly lost all self control.

"There is no shadow of a doubt that they way you treated those officers, that the custody threshold has been passed."

He gave him six months' jail, but suspended it for 12 months. He also gave him 250 hours of unpaid work and told to pay a total of £350 compensation to the two officers he attacked.

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Judge Stubbs reserved any breach of the order to himself, and warned him: "You will not get a second chance again. Anymore offences or you fall down on the unpaid work, you will go to prison.

"If we meet again it will be all the worse for you."