A wanted man pulled a police officer down a "steep" 3ft drop after he was arrested while camping in woods.
Mark Wilkinson had been detained and handcuffed inside Holywell Dene, in Seaton Sluice, during the hours of darkness and was being cautiously escorted back to the road. However, the drunk 43-year-old turned aggressive and abusive towards officers as they took him past a steep drop, which led down to a further drop and a small river, a court heard.
Wilkinson then shouted "I will dive into the dyke and take you with me" before violently turning his body and pulling one of the constables down the 3ft slope, causing him to fall. Prosecutors said that the victim managed to hold on to Wilkinson and prevent himself falling further while others came to assist.
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The lout, who has clocked up 72 offences during his criminal career, continued to be aggressive as he was taken to the road, so had to be detained on the ground, As well as the initial arrest for an unrelated matter, Wilkinson was further arrested for assaulting the officer.
Wilkinson, of Percy Cottages, in Seaton Delaval, appeared at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court over the summer to plead not guilty to one count each of assaulting an emergency worker and and resisting a police officer. He was found guilty after trial earlier this month.
Wilkinson returned to the same court this week for sentence. Prosecutor, James Long, said police were looking for Wilkinson in order to arrest him for an unrelated matter on August 17 this year when they learned he could be camping in Holywell Dene. In the early hours of the morning, officers went into the woods and found Wilkinson, along with others, beside a tent and a campfire.
Mr Long said Wilkinson was arrested and handcuffed and was being escorted along narrow paths in the dark when he turned aggressive. "The defendant was becoming increasingly irate, shouting and swearing", Mr Long continued. "As he was being escorted over a narrow dirt path with a steep drop on one side, about 3ft in depth, with a further drop after that, he turned more aggressive.
"The defendant said "I will dive into the dyke and take you with me". He then violently turned his body and twisted his arm, the one the officer was holding, and pulled him in the direction of the drop, causing him to fall down the drop. The officer did manage to keep hold of the defendant and prevent himself from falling further."
The court heard that the victim was uninjured and managed, with assistance, to get Wilkinson to a police van. Paul Dunn, defending, said Wilkinson had recently sorted his life out and was managing to keep his head down. He added: "Mr Wilkinson has been worried about his court appearance today and he's had sleepless nights because of it."
Wilkinson was given a three-month community order, with a three-month curfew between 7pm and 7am, and must pay £50 compensation to the officer, £310 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
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