A man who headbutted, kicked and spat at police officers – while on a suspended prison sentence for an attack on a man in the street – has been jailed for 12 months after a judge told him he had behaved “like a barbarian”.
Callum Knowles, 19, attacked the two officers as they tried to arrest him at his grandmother’s house on Stockton Road, Thirsk
The incident occurred just six days after Knowles was given a 10-month suspended jail sentence for a vicious, “cowardly” attack on a man in Thirsk town centre, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Ellie Guildford said that three officers went to the house on Stockton Road on the morning of December 2 after Knowles crashed his mother’s car and injured himself. The vehicle was a write-off.
They were potentially about to arrest him on suspicion of offences relating to the crash when Knowles became aggressive and refused to comply when they tried to usher him down the stairs.
“As he was escorted down the stairs he began to lash out,” said Ms Guildford.
Knowles repeatedly kicked the legs of one of the officers, headbutted him to the body and threatened to drag him down the stairs. He then attacked a second officer and was taken to the floor, where he continued to spout threats and spat at one of the officers.
When one of them tried to reason with him, he lunged at her and spat in her face. The officers ultimately had to pick him up and carry him to the police van where he again kicked out.
He was then taken into custody where he initially refused to answer police questions but later admitted he had attacked the officers while drunk.
Knowles pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a police officer but wasn’t charged with any offences relating to the alleged taking of the vehicle.
In a statement read out in court, the officers described the attack as “disgraceful and degrading”.
In late November, less than a week before the latest incident, Knowles and his co-defendant Kriss Danvis, 20, were each spared jail following an “absolutely appalling”, drink-fuelled attack on a man in Thirsk town centre.
They rained blows on the victim and Danvis, of Bankhead Road, Northallerton, continued to punch him after he was knocked to the ground.
The attack, at about 11.20pm on September 14 last year, left the victim with bruising to his face and forehead.
Knowles and Danvis each admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm. On November 26, at York Crown Court, they each received a 10-month suspended jail sentence.
Knowles, who worked as a labourer, was back in court today – via video link after being remanded in custody – for the subsequent attack on the officers and committing an offence in breach of a suspended sentence.
Defence barrister Rhianydd Clement said that Knowles was “under the influence of alcohol (at the time) and he knows that’s a problem for him”.
She said that drugs and alcohol had underpinned his past offending.
Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, told him: “When the police are called to an address, they go in order to assist people.
“This was your grandmother’s address and when they asked you to leave and escorted you down the stairs, you then reacted like a barbarian, kicking out at the officer, trying to headbutt and, worst of all, spitting at the officers.
“That is a disgusting thing to do, and it can only be done with the intention of maximising fear for the police.
“The police are now even having to carry spit masks, so anybody who comes before me for spitting at a policeman goes to prison because it’s got to stop.”
Mr Morris added: “This is just six days after you and I met when I gave you a chance and gave you a suspended sentence for a nasty, city-centre attack.
“When you are given a suspended sentence, the onus is on you to behave and address your own behaviour yourself: you don’t get a licence to commit crime. What you did shows utter contempt for the order I made on the last occasion.”
The judge activated the existing suspended sentence and gave Knowles an additional three months’ jail time for attacking the officers.
Under new sentencing laws, Knowles will serve under half of the total 12-month jail sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence.
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