A MAN from Prestatyn who assaulted a police officer while also in possession of a knuckle duster has avoided jail.
Daniel Pugh, 34, of Glan Y Gors, was handed a suspended sentence at Mold Crown Court today (April 3).
Pugh is also to complete unpaid work and rehabilitation activity, and will pay costs.
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Prosecuting, David Mainstone told the court that, at about 1.30pm on July 21, 2022, Police Constables Gray and Darbey were driving along Ffordd Pant Y Celyn when they detected a strong smell of cannabis.
The smell appeared to be coming from near a playground where a number of child were playing at the time.
They saw two men walking away from the area; one of whom was Pugh, so the officers decided to carry out a search of them.
PC Gray concentrated on Pugh, who began running after realising he was being pursued.
Pugh also ignored a command to stop running from PC Darbey, who was driving alongside him at the time.
PC Darbey then ran after Pugh and took hold of him, causing the second male to approach him in an aggressive manner.
This led PC Darbey to draw his taser and warn him to get back, which caused Pugh to become “aggressive”, and refuse to get onto the floor.
Though PC Darbey managed to trip Pugh onto the floor, this led the defendant to become “increasingly aggressive”.
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He sprayed Pugh, but this had no effect on him; Pugh then knocked the spray out of PC Darbey’s hand, then struck a blow to his face and put his hand around his neck.
Due to Pugh’s actions, PC Darbey sustained a strained neck and tenderness to the left of his face.
Pugh was arrested, and upon a search of his bag, the knuckleduster was found.
When interviewed, he said that PC Darbey had thrown him to the floor and struck him to the genitals.
He admitted that the knuckleduster was his, saying that he “always carried it for protection”.
Mr Mainstone said that Pugh had three previous convictions for five offences, including for affray.
Defending, Simon Mintz invited the court to impose a suspended sentence with conditions attached; namely unpaid work and rehabilitation activity requirements.
This was said to be the first offence for a decade by Pugh, who also previously received a police caution following an assault.
Pugh, a father, did not use the knuckleduster during the incident, while the injuries he inflicted on PC Darbey were described by Judge Niclas Parry as “mercifully, not too serious”.
Sentencing, Judge Parry imposed a four-month jail term on Pugh, suspended for one year.
Pugh is to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
He will pay £350 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service, and the knuckleduster was ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.
Judge Parry told him: “Running away from a police officer is one thing. Punching him in the face and putting your arm around his neck is quite another.
“You pleaded guilty; that’s what saved you. You were sprayed and tasered, and you probably learnt a lesson from that.
“Don’t reoffend in the next 12 months, keep those appointments, and do the work, otherwise we’ll meet again.”
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