King’s Lynn man jailed after assaulting police officers and attacking shopkeeper in Outwell

A 19-year-old has been jailed after a raft of assault offences which saw him kick out at police in a “donkey style” and attack a shopkeeper.

Josh Chapman, of Lowfield in Lynn, appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court on Thursday via video link. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating, one of criminal damage to property, and four of assaulting emergency workers.

Magistrates, led by Louise Barber, decided his offences were so serious that he will spend a total of 33 weeks behind bars. These will be made up of concurrent sentences for each of his crimes.

Crown prosecutor Colette Harper told magistrates that on March 18, Chapman became “aggressive and resistant” when police attempted to engage with him in Fairstead.

He started to swear and attempted to pull away from an officer, and was subsequently tackled with a knee strike, causing him to fall to the ground.

However, he tried to kick out at them despite police keeping hold of his legs. He managed to get one of them free, and made contact with an officer’s chest.

This caused some “initial sharp pain”, according to Ms Harper, but there were no lasting injuries.

Then, at around 10pm on April 5, Chapman entered the Family Shopper on Wisbech Road, Outwell.

His upcoming victim was working alone in the store at the time when Chapman approached him at the till, asking for cigarettes. The shop worker asked him to provide ID, but he was unable to – so attempted to persuade him into selling the products anyway.

Chapman proceeded to exclaim that he would “serve himself” and walked behind the counter, repeatedly uttering the words: “You should serve me, you should serve me.”

The shop worker had his phone in his hand in a bid to call the police, but Chapman grabbed it and tried to run through the store with it. However, it was taken back from him by the victim.

Chapman proceeded to punch the staff member twice to the face, causing swelling to his eye. In a bid to defend himself, the victim picked up a black plastic pole and told Chapman to leave the store.

However, he punched him “several more times” – causing criminal damage to his glasses in the process, which were worth £520.

The staff member then managed to phone the police, and while on the call officers could hear Chapman swearing in the background.

On June 22, Chapman himself phoned the police asking to hand himself in. However, upon their arrival – despite the pleas of family members he was with at the time – he immediately began to resist them.

Officers tried to detain the apparently intoxicated Chapman, who proceeded to “lash out” at them. This led to one officer receiving cuts and bruises.

He then kicked another officer several times while being transported into a police vehicle, and caused pain to the hand of a colleague while being taken to custody.

Ms Harper said Chapman continued to kick out in a “violent donkey style”.

He had committed 40 previous offences, three of which involved assaulting emergency workers.

In mitigation, solicitor Ruth Johnson admitted there was a “certain sense of inevitability” that Chapman would be sent to prison.

He will also pay £50 in compensation to each of the police officers he assaulted, as well as to the shop staff member – who he will also pay £520 to replace his glasses.