Police officer needed surgery after city centre attack by paranoid cocaine user

A paranoid cocaine user who left a police officer needing surgery and months off work has avoided jail.
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Simon Keith dialled 999 to say he was being followed in Wakefield city centre, but attacked officers when they turned up to help him.

Leeds Crown Court heard police responded to a call in the early hours of September 28 last year to a man on Northgate.

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Lucy Brown, prosecuting, said two officers found Keith and became concerned by his erratic behaviour and offered to take him home.

Leeds Crown CourtLeeds Crown Court
Leeds Crown Court

The defendant then became aggressive and elbowed one of the officers in the chest as they struggled to restrain him.

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The 27-year-old also injured the finger of a female officer who had arrived as back up as they tried to get him into a police van.

Christopher Morton, mitigating, said his client was an occasional cocaine user but was not addicted and had not used it since the incident.

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Mr Morton said Keith had struggled to sleep that night and went for a walk to “clear his head”.

Describing the struggle with the officers, Mr Morton said: “It was not premeditated and he did not intend to cause any injury.”

Judge Robin Mairs said: “You had taken alcohol and probably cocaine and officers were concerned for your safety.

“They reassured you and dealt with you politely, calmly and with respect.

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“There’s no question this crosses the custody threshold, but I have decided that just, and only just, that I can spare you from prison.”

Keith was given a 20-months sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 150 hours of unpaid work.