Tumby man escapes jail after assaulting police officer when fishing trip goes wrong

A man who drove home from a fishing trip in a car with ‘extensive damage’ after it had rolled onto its roof ended up assaulting a police officer and losing his driving licence.

Gary Cooper, 33, was handed a suspended prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis and the assault of an emergency worker when he appeared in court on Wednesday (November 20).

Cooper - who exhaled loudly when told he would not be going to jail that day - had drunk six cans of lager prior to the incident, it was claimed.

Police received reports that an ‘intoxicated’ driver had set off from a caravan park in Donington on Bain, near Louth on June 11, prosecutor Marie Stace told Boston Magistrates.

“It was said the vehicle had extensive damage,” she added.

Police located Cooper at his home at Toft Hill, Tumby, between Coningsby and Horncastle.

“The vehicle was parked outside and was damaged, including the windscreen,” Ms Stace continued.

“The defendant was asked to come to the window, where the officer saw he has cuts over his face. He had clearly been involved in a collision.”

Ms Stace said Cooper then drank alcohol from a glass in his kitchen before attempting to bite the hand of an officer while resisting arrest, receiving a ‘punch to the jaw’ in response.

The court was told the defendant was then taken to hospital where he refused to give a blood sample so police could test his alcohol levels, stating ‘f*ck off, I want to go home’.

Defending Cooper, Lloyd Edwards said his client suffered from anxiety and depression and had gone night fishing because he ‘doesn’t like mixing with people’.

“He’d had a few drinks. He’d had six cans before he went to bed back at his car at 10.30pm,” Mr Edwards added.

“His car was parked at an angle and in the night it slid onto its roof.

“He was asleep as this happened and woke up with the car falling on its roof. He suffered considerable injuries.

“He wasn’t drunk. He had drunk the night before but his behaviour was a result of being in shock and being concussed.

“It was a flash decision to drive home and he wasn’t in the right state of mind.”

Mr Edwards added Cooper - who receives benefits - became ‘argumentative’ with officers due to the ‘stress of the ordeal’, but said his client denied attempts to bite an officer.

He concluded by stating the defendants refused the blood told because he was told there could be a five-hour wait at the hospital.

“He said no because, due to his mental state, he did not want to wait,” he added.

“After five hours it was unlikely anything would be in his system anyway.”

Magistrates sentenced Cooper to a 12 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He was handed a year-long mental health requirement order which includes 25 rehabilitation days.

Cooper was also banned from driving for 17 months and ordered to pay the officer £100 in compensation.