Crystal-meth thug stabbed officer in the face with scissors during Leeds village house raid
A thug high on crystal meth stabbed an officer in the face with a pair of scissors and made threats to kill when police tried to arrest him at his mother’s home.
They officers had attended the property in Kippax to locate Jason Mortimer, who was wanted for breaching a restraining order.
But he turned violent, barricading himself into the bedroom before stabbing one constable above his eye and slashing at another as they attempted to subdue him.
The 36-year-old was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week having admitted several offences, including Section 20 GBH without intent.
The court was told that an indefinite-length restraining order had been put in place in 2019 after Mortimer was jailed for stalking and attacking his former partner.
On November 23 last year he messaged the woman repeatedly on WhatsApp for around six hours, which she did not respond to. He declared his love for her, made sexual comments and blamed her for their breakup.
The woman later said she thought he was taking drugs or experiencing “some kind of psychosis”, prosecutor Philip Adams said.
With the police alerted, they went to his mother’s address on Cliff Crescent in Kippax the next day. They saw him in an upstairs window when they arrived and his mother let them in.
He had barricaded himself into the room and threatened to kill them and himself if they tried to force their way in.
They deployed PAVA spray through the gap in the door in a bid to incapacitate Mortimer. He picked up a wardrobe door and swung it towards them as they were able to force the bedroom door ajar.
When they finally entered, he lunged at them, stabbing the first officer in the face with the scissors, causing a wound above his eye.
The second officer tried to restrain him and he slashed at him, catching him in the stomach. Luckily the stab vest prevented injury.
Another officer then struck Mortimer with a baton and take him to the floor as he continued to struggle. They were then able to get him in handcuffs.
The officer was taken to hospital for the cut above his eye where it was cleaned and glued shut.
Mortimer, of Cliff Crescent, gave a no-comment interview at the station.
He has four previous convictions for eight offences, including assaults on emergency workers.
As well as the Section 20 GBH, he admitted breaching of the restraining order, assault with intent to resist arrest and two counts of resisting arrest. He appeared in court via video link from HMP Hull where he was being held on remand.
Mitigating, Nathan Davis said Mortimer’s actions were “indicative of someone in a crisis” but conceded it was “partially of his own making” due to his drug taking.
He said that Mortimer was taking methamphetamine at the time - also known as crystal meth - a synthetic, highly-addictive stimulant drug.
Short-term effects can include feelings of euphoria and increased energy, but it can also cause paranoia and other health issues.
Mr Davis said: “He expresses clear remorse and regret for his behaviour.”
He said since being held on remand he was engaging in alcohol and drugs therapy while religion was also helping him.
Jailing him for two years, Judge Tahir Khan KC told Mortimer: “This was, on any view, a gravely serious and troubling incident.”