Bassetlaw boozer headbutted cop in ambulance after village party fight

A Bassetlaw boozer headbutted a police officer in the ambulance en route to hospital after he was injured in a fight at a village party, a court heard.
News from the courts.News from the courts.
News from the courts.

Daniel Hough was sitting on a bench with a head wound and a blood-stained T-shirt when police were called to the High Street, in Misterton, at 9pm, on August 5.

But he walked off, refused to be treated and swore at the officers when they tried to stop him, said prosecutor Robert Carr, so he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

While Hough was being taken to Bassetlaw hospital he said he wanted to urinate and demanded to be released from his handcuffs.

When he got up and began walking about, the officer grabbed the handcuffs to steady him, and Hough headbutted him, painfully, on the left eyebrow.

And when they got to the hospital, Hough swung his head up “without warning” and hit the officer painfully on the nose.

Hough, 36, of Newells Terrace, Misterton, admitted two counts of assaulting a police officer and being drunk and disorderly, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.

The court heard he had a drink driving conviction from 2014.

Donna Pursglove, mitigating, said Hough had alcohol problems since the age of 20, but had been abstaining from drink since the 2014 conviction, which caused him to lose his job.

“Mr Hough thought he would be able to control his addiction and he started to drink on a social basis,” she said.

On the night in question he had consumed a “large amount” of Sambuca at a party, she said. There had been an “incident” and he was asked to leave.

Ms Pursglove said he went outside and “drank a lot more than he had been doing”, but was “very, very ashamed of his behaviour”.

His wife was so unhappy she left him for five days, and he drank heavily, the court heard. When she returned she helped him detox.

“He has been alcohol free for 13 days,” Ms Pursglove said. “He said the detox was probably the worst experience he has gone through.”

He had sent a card of apology to the officer he assaulted, she added.

Hough was given a six week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with ten rehabilitation activity requirement days. He must pay £100 compensation to the officer and £85 costs.

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