Man given £654 bill for incident in Holbeach which called school lockdown

A school was locked down due to the erratic behaviour of a man as police tried to arrest him, a court was told.

Peter Bingham, 40, admitted charges of assaulting his former boss, resisting a police officer and racially aggravated disorder in Holbeach when he appeared before Boston Magistrates’ Court .

Prosecutor Nick Kirkland told Wednesday’s (Oct 29) hearing that the defendant was working as a builder for Ali Phiri when an argument over pay sparked off the incident on March 20 in High Street.

He said: “The defendant’s temper was rising and the employer said ‘let’s cool it’ and tried to create some distance but that doesn’t seem to have placated the defendant who was shouting at him.”

The court was told that Bingham continued to shout at the victim and Mr Phiri was pushed as he called for the police.

Mr Kirkland said that the victim tried to walk away from the defendant, who was continuing to shout.

He said: “Further in that area, there was a school, because of the defendant’s behaviour and what he was shouting, the victim warned him about the school and tried to placate him to avoid further escalation.”

The hearing was told that the police arrived quite quickly and Mr Phiri was asked to go back inside the premises when Bingham made a racial slur.

The prosecutor said that Bingham had tensed his arm as the officers attempted to arrest him and went onto swear at them.

The court heard that they ended up on the floor when the officers were able to handcuff him.

Mr Kirkland said: “After the officers managed to get the defendant into handcuffs, he was still verbally abusive and shouted to the victim.

“Officers described the defendant’s behaviour as erratic.”

The court heard that Bingham had shouted at members of the public and smacked his head against the cage in the police van.

Mr Kirkman said: “A member of the public approached the officers, a teacher from the school. They had placed the school in lockdown and wanted to know if it was safe to allow children back into the playground.”

Mike Alexander, mitigating, told the court that the argument had started as Bingham had not been paid.

He said: “Mr Bingham accepts that his conduct on that day was racist.

“Normally he isn’t but on that occasion he was frustrated. He said he got angry and said things he wouldn’t have said.”

Mr Alexander said that the defendant doesn’t have a fixed address but does have family support.

He also highlighted Bingham’s mental health issues with the use of alcohol and drugs.

Bingham, who gave a care of address of Washway Road, Saracen’s Head, was given a 12 month community order which included rehabilitation and alcohol treatment requirements for the resisting a police officer and assault charge.

He was also fined £160 for racially aggravated disorder charge along with being ordered to pay a total of £200 compensation to the police officer and victim.

Bingham was also ordered to pay £180 court costs and £114 victim surcharge.