A builder who damaged vehicles and assaulted police officers after turning up drunk to work has been spared jail despite a judge condemning his behaviour as “quite grotesque”.
Bradley Rabjohns, 25, from Northallerton, turned up drunk and more than four hours late for work where he was “singing and acting strangely”, York Crown Court heard.
His behaviour was such that the site manager asked him to leave, said prosecutor Nicola Hoskins.
However, Rabjohns refused and started following the named site manager and fellow workers around the site as they carried on with their work.
“He was becoming more agitated and picked up a toolbox and threw it at a Ford Ranger driven by the site manager,” said Ms Hoskins.
It caused £2,483 of damage to the vehicle and a minor injury to the site boss who was hit on the arm by the toolbox.
Rabjohns then put a brick through the window of a digger, causing £366 of damage.
Police were called out and Rabjohns was arrested.
He was initially compliant with officers but then began to resist and struggle as they tried to get him in the back of the police van. He then kicked a police officer in the legs, causing a slight injury, and kicked another officer in the thigh.
He was hauled into custody but refused to answer police questions.
On November 27 last year, police were called out to reports of a fight in Beech Grove, Northallerton, involving Rabjohns.
He was put in the back of the police van but was “verbally and actively resistant”, said Ms Hoskins.
Officers finally managed to get him in the van and he was again taken into custody, but on arrival at the police station he refused to get out of the vehicle and started kicking out at officers while shouting: “You’ve not got a f******* chance.”
He kicked one officer in the face and another in the chest, causing the officer to stagger backwards.
In police interview he said he had no memory of the incident. He was released on bail pending an appearance at York Magistrates’ Court on December 12, but failed to turn up.
An arrest warrant was issued by the court and two police officers turned up at his home in Beech Grove later that month.
Rabjohns was arrested but asked officers to remove his handcuffs momentarily so he could put on his jacket “because it was so cold”.
He then pushed past one of the officers and made a run for it, only to be detained after a short foot chase.
Rabjohns was released again but there followed another series of incidents on January 14 this year, when his own mother called police out to her home where he had been banging his head on doors and a wall, causing damage.
He was arrested and turned violent again when he was asked to get in the police van.
“He refused to get into the van (and) leant backwards against it so he could push his legs out against the officers,” said Ms Hoskins.
He swore at the officers who brought out the pepper spray, but Rabjohns continued to kick out. One of the officers was kicked in the side of the head and another was kicked on the arm.
He was taken back to the police station where he spat in the face of a police officer. He later told police he was having a “mental-health episode” and should have had hospital treatment.
Rabjohns, who had previous convictions for matters, was ultimately charged with assaulting police officers, damaging property and escaping from custody.
He admitted the offences and appeared for sentence via video link today after being remanded in custody due to his record for not attending court hearings.
Defence barrister Laura Addy said Rabjohns had lost his job following the incident on the construction site. He had spent five months remanded in custody, the equivalent of a 10-month jail sentence.
Recorder Nicholas Lumley KC told Rabjohns: “This catalogue of offending is quite grotesque.
“You behaved very badly towards people who gave you work and to police officers who were just trying to do their job, and you have caused great distress to your family even.”
He said that Rabjohns deserved to go to prison but that he wouldn’t be sending him to jail because of the time he had already served on remand, which would have resulted in him being released almost immediately given the relatively short sentence he would have received.
Instead, he was given a two-year community order with a six-month alcohol-treatment programme and 100 hours of unpaid work. He must also complete up to 30 days’ rehabilitation activity and pay a victim surcharge.
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