Drunk thug headbutted police in Christmas Day fracas

A drunken thug headbutted a police officer after police were called out to his family home on Christmas Day. He later said he was unable to remember the assault because of his level of intoxication.

Anthony Stanton, 32, was hostile when police arrived at his home in Rhydyfelin, Pontypridd, on December 25 last year. When officers arrived at the house, the defendant's partner and her children were standing outside.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard the defendant wouldn't allow the police inside his house, and moved his arms in a pushing motion towards an officer. The decision was made to take hold of Stanton and remove him from the property.

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Prosecutor Dan Jones said the defendant began to resist and said: "Get the f*** off me before I do something I'll get arrested for. He then headbutted an officer to the left side of his face.

His aggression continued with him calling the officer a "c***", a "four eyed c***", and said: "I'll headbutt you again now you c***". Further officers arrived at the scene and he was arrested.

During his interview, Stanton, of Heol y Twyn, Wattstown, Porth, claimed he had no memory of the assault due to the amount of alcohol he had drunk. The officer suffered swelling and a lump to the left side of his face.

The defendant later pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker. The court heard he has six previous convictions for offences including battery, using violence with intent to harm, affray, and assaulting an emergency worker last year.

In mitigation, James Evans said alcohol was the root of his client's offending behaviour and he has abstained from alcohol for the last five months. He said the defendant was remorseful and "disgusted" with his actions.

Sentencing, Recorder David Warner said: "It was Christmas Day and you were with your family. You were lucky to be with your family. This police officer had to serve on Christmas Day and he didn't need to be confronted by a drunken idiot like you, and come away from that encounter bruised and battered because you headbutted him."

Stanton was sentenced to an 18-month community order. He was ordered to carry out a 25 day rehabilitation activity requirement, 150 hours unpaid work, and alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement and to pay £300 in costs.

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