Marshchapel teenager sentenced after police altercation

A Marshchapel teenager, who assaulted a police sergeant and then fled to the roof of his house to avoid arrest, has been sentenced in court.
Boston Magistrates' CourtBoston Magistrates' Court
Boston Magistrates' Court

Alexander John Griffin, 18, of Sea Dyke Way, had been convicted after a trial of assaulting Police Sergeant Willoughby and of obstructing him in the execution of his duty, and was appearing for sentence at Boston Magistrates Court’ yesterday (Wednesday).

Michael Little, prosecuting, said Sergeant Willoughby had seen a white Citroen outside Griffin’s address at 11am on February 13 and went to make enquiries about the car.

He said that when he went back to his car to make arrangements to have the car collected, Griffin came to the officer to have a discussion about the car.

Mr Little said Griffin had a large screwdriver in his hand and said he intended to get some items out of the car, but when the recovery vehicle turned up at 12 noon Griffin admitted to the officer that he owned the car and, as the sergeant went to arrest him, he struggled and got away.

He said Griffin still had the screwdriver in his hand and the sergeant held onto him to prevent him using it as a weapon, and a police colleague fell to the ground in an attempt to assist him in the arrest.

He said the sergeant eventually had to release him and Griffin ran into his house, locked the door and then appeared on the roof before he was later arrested.

Mitigating, Tony Davies said the prosecution’s statement of the events was ‘one of the greatest works of fiction’ he had heard.

He said that in his evidence at the trial, Sergeant Willoughby had admitted he had given Griffin permission to get the screwdriver to get his audio system out of the car and alleged the sergeant had acted ‘with excessive violence’ and that Griffin was ‘afraid of what he’d do to him’.

He said the police had thought the Citroen was stolen but later enquiries revealed it hadn’t been, and that Griffin had given himself up as soon as another officer arrived.

The magistrates ordered Griffin to carry out 75 hours of unpaid work for the community and 10 days of rehabilitation.

He was also ordered to pay a total of £85 in court costs, and £25 compensation to the police officer for the cut he suffered on his knuckle.