A road was closed and 20 emergency services staff had to attend a Newcastle bridge when a man threatened to jump off it.
Kevin Batey had got onto the wrong side of railings on Byker Bridge, in Newcastle, and was lying on a ledge when police turned up. A court heard Batey, who appeared under the influence, threatened to jump the 80 to 100 feet to the ground during the incident in September last year.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the east-bound carriageway had to be closed for 40 mins and the cost to the fire service alone was more than £1,600. Anne Richardson, prosecuting, said it was around 11pm on Sunday September 6 that police were called to the scene.
Miss Richardson said: "On arrival at the scene they found the defendant lying on a ledge under the bridge. Despite the police officers trying to engage him, he refused and made threats to jump from the bridge, a distance of 80- 100 feet from the ground below.
"The police noted that the defendant was moving back and forwards to the edge of the ledge and back under the bridge, vacillating between stating he would jump and then moving away. "
The police formed the view that the defendant was under the influence of some form of stimulants. After a while, the defendant asked the police officers for a cigarette, and then once he had been furnished with that, he asked for a mobile phone in order to telephone his father.
The fire service secured a rope access team, and police officers continued to negotiate with the defendant, to allow one of the officers to climb over the railings next to him, in order to hand him the cigarette. He initially requested that the police throw the cigarette over to him which was not an option and he then stated that he would climb over the railings again once he had been given a cigarette.
Miss Richardson said: "After further negotiations, after approximately 40 minutes, the defendant was persuaded to allow two fire officers to climb the railings attached to ropes and hand him the cigarette. He then allowed the fire officers to attach a safety harness and he climbed back over to the correct side of the railings under his own steam.
"As a result of his actions, the east bound carriageway of the bridge was blocked and in excess of 20 members of the emergency services were present at the scene, including four fully crewed fire appliances, two specialist hazardous area response ambulances and five Police officers, all of whom had been coordinated by the relevant control centres. The costs of the fire services alone was £1,678."
Batey, 34, of Ladykirk Road, Benwell, who has previous convictions, admitted causing a public nuisance and was sentenced to a two-year community order with rehabilitation and a drugs rehabilitation requirement.
The court heard there have been a number of concerns about him, commencing in June 2019 and the last being in February 2021. Andrew Walker, defending, said the pre-sentence report was positive and he had made efforts to deal with his issues.
Judge Amanda Rippon told Batey: "I was very pleased to read this report, it sounds like you are doing better and I'm really pleased to hear that. You have had a lot of problems and issues but you are in a fairly positive place at the moment."
