A POLICEMAN’S mobile phone was smashed after a criminal grabbed him during a brawl in a desperate bid to avoid arrest.
Police officers were called to Robert Free’s flat in Evans Court, Halstead, on June 9 after being made aware of an incident at 5.35pm.
Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard when they arrived they spotted the 51-year-old standing in a communal hallway holding a bottle of beer.
The prosecution on Tuesday explained how Free quickly became aggressive and used physical force to avoid arrest.
As a scuffle broke out between the two policemen and Free, who has 18 previous convictions for 32 offences, the latter grabbed an officer’s body armour and vest in a bid to resist their efforts.
When Free was eventually handcuffed, one officer noticed his watch lay broken on the floor, while the other policeman saw the screen on his personal iPhone 8 Plus had been shattered.
Free admitted two counts of criminal damage and a single count of assault with intent to resist arrest
Elliot Moulster, mitigating, said Free was remorseful over the incident and had simply been caught off guard by the officers attending his house.
“The defendant did not know why the police were there or why he was being arrested,” said Mr Moulster.
“Unfortunately things escalated from there. He admitted he was shocked by the situation.
“He did not deliberately go out of the way to rip the watch strap or punch the phone, it was just a result of the incident, a reckless outcome of his actions.”
Mr Moulster said Free is speaking with experts at a mental health charity and has suspected PTSD relating to trauma he suffered as a child.
Free has also been signed off from work due to a medical condition affecting his spine, often leaving him bed-ridden, the court heard.
Mr Moulster added: “This is a defendant who is trying to assess the issues he has.”
Magistrate Brenda Pearce fined Free £200 for the offence and ordered him to pay a £34 victim surcharge.
He must also compensate the police officer £100 for the damage to his iPhone and pay £20 to the other policeman for his watch.
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