Grantham court: Slashed ex’s car tyre before biting police

While drunk, a man bit a police constable and slashed a tyre on his ex-girlfriend’s car.

Thomas Wright, 30, of Cliffe Road, Grantham, pleaded guilty to assaulting a PC and criminal damange.

Jim Clare, prosecuting, said the defendant and female complainant had been in a relationship for about a year. She described his behaviour as ‘somewhat unpredictable’.

After an argument on March 10, she decided to stay at a friend’s house. While there she contacted Wright to say the relationship was over, and that he should move out.

However, after returning to her home on Alma Park Road the next day, Wright also showed up intoxicated. When she went outside he followed her, and then fetched a kitchen knife with which he attempted to slash a car tyre. At first he only managed to bend the knife, but he went back for another and successfully slashed one of her car’s tyres.

The victim called the police, who turned up to find Wright was no longer in possession of a knife. He did start raising his arms at them, and fought back as they tried to arrest him, biting into the left forearm of one officer. Using leg restraints they were able to detain him, while he continued to shout abuse.

Rob Arthur, defending, said that Wright was so drunk at the time he had no recollection of the incidents, but accepted responsibility.

After hearing a pre-sentence report, magistrates fined Wright £665, which he must pay on top of £100 in compensation to the constable, £60 to his ex-girlfriend for the tyre, £85 in costs, and a £67 victim surcharge.