Paul Padget in King’s Lynn court for assaulting police in Downham Market
A drunken man kicked out at a police sergeant before spitting at him while being transported to custody.
Paul Padget, 56, of Lawrence Road in North Lynn, appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court on Thursday charged with assault by beating of an emergency worker.
He pleaded guilty to the offence, which he committed on November 24.
Crown prosecutor Holly Postle told the court that on that date, a police sergeant received reports of an “intoxicated and aggressive” male at a Downham property.
That man turned out to be Padget, who lived at that property at the time. He was talking loudly and swearing when officers arrived at the scene.
He proceeded to refer to them as “c*nts, paedos and rapists” – and told them he did “not give a f*ck” about being apprehended.
Officers asked him to leave the Downham address “calmly”, but he refused and was subsequently arrested. Upon being placed in handcuffs, Padget resumed his swearing.
Police managed to get half of his body into their van, but he began “kicking around” and making it difficult for officers. The sergeant was then struck on the arm by one of these kicks.
En-route to the police station, the van had to be stopped because Padget had a cigarette in his mouth. When the sergeant moved to take it from him, the defendant spat at him.
Magistrates, chaired by Ginny Hutton, asked probation services to carry out a pre-sentence report on Padget before he learns his fate.
He will return to court next Thursday (January 25) to be sentenced, and has been released on unconditional bail.
Mitigating, solicitor Alison Muir said Padget had been left unhappy by a former relationship at the time of his offence, leading to him “drinking too much”.
“He was extremely embarrassed by what he describes as disgusting behaviour,” she said.