Yahoo News Man escapes police after being arrested for squirting Pava spray in woman's face
A troublemaker who squirted "noxious" Pava spray in a woman's face later hastily ran off from the police in a panic because he did not fancy spending his New Year's Eve in custody when he could be out enjoying himself.
Police launched a search of the area but they could not find him at the time. He was finally tracked down at his home the next day and he was arrested for escaping from officers, Hull Crown Court heard.
Jordan Withey, 25, formerly of Prickett Road, Bridlington, admitted assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, as well as two offences of possessing a weapon for the discharge of a noxious substance, Pava spray, and another of escaping from lawful custody on December 31, 2020.
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Lauren Smith, prosecuting, said that, on New Year's Eve of that year, a woman was at her mother's home in Bridlington when she spotted a group of people outside Withey's home. Words were exchanged and the group followed the woman to her mother's home.
More words were exchanged and other people were assaulted. The woman was assaulted by another female, who was pulling her hair. She let go of the woman and the group started to walk off.
The woman heard the group shouting: "Go on, Jordan, go on, Jordan." Withey put his hand out towards her face and she heard a spray being squirted and felt mist on her face, the court heard.
She instantly felt pain, her eyes were stinging and her nose was running. She could not see. Police were alerted to the incident and Withey was arrested for assault and administering a noxious substance.
While they were at the rear of the police vehicle, another man walked towards the police and Withey pulled away from the grasp of an officer and ran off. A search of the area was made but he could not be found, the court heard. The next day, he was found at his home and he was arrested.
The court heard that Withey was already in prison after he was jailed in August last year for two years and four months and was banned from driving for three years and two months.
That sentence followed him admitting dangerous driving, two offences of stealing vehicles and others of driving while disqualified, having no insurance and possessing cocaine and cannabis.
Cathy Kioko-Gilligan, mitigating, said that the escape was "short-lived" and Withey ran off because he wanted to be at home for New Year. The assault and escape matters happened more than three years ago and they took place before Withey was jailed last year for offences that had actually been committed after the assault and escape ones.
He had been recalled to prison and he was serving out the remainder of the previous sentence. He had done drug rehabilitation courses while in custody after suffering a long-standing drug problem.
Withey had also done education courses in preparation for his release and he had been doing really well, said Miss Kioko-Gilligan. He regretted his behaviour and he was remorseful.
For the assault, escape and other offences before the court this time, he was jailed for one year, to run consecutively to the previous sentence.
The court was told in August last year for the previous matters that Withey hurtled along roads at high speeds of more than 90mph in a stolen Range Rover but he was brought to a juddering halt when police laid a tyre-bursting "stinger" in the road and then set a police dog on him. You can read the full story from that hearing here.
At the time, he had convictions for 45 previous offences, including dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop and failing to provide a breath specimen. He had been jailed in February, 2022 for 10 months for aggravated vehicle taking.
His convictions also included burglary, theft, possessing cocaine and cannabis and being in charge of a vehicle while over the drink-driving limit.
