Boozed-up man attacked two women police officers at camp site

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Tuesday, August 29, how Terry Clarke, 44, had been pursued by police at the camp site at Upper Booth Farm, Edale, after he was seen to be drunk and he went on to assault the officers.

Prosecuting solicitor Rod Chapman said: “The reason for the call was a domestic argument between Clarke and a lady friend and on arrival Clarke was showing signs of extreme drunkenness.

“It was their intention to remove him from the location to prevent a breach of the peace however Clarke was resistent to the notion and he ran off.

“He subsequently returned to the site while the officers were there and at this point officers felt an arrest was necessary to prevent any potential breach of the peace.”

Mr Chapman added that Clarke ran off a second time and the defendant ran to a river nearby and he said he would not go with them and that he did not want to “rag them around” but he would if he had to.

The defendant grabbed both officers tightly by the wrists and pulled them and one of the officers, according to Mr Chapman, had to use an incapacity spray before Clarke could be arrested.

Clarke admitted being extremely drunk to police and said he had consumed cans of beer and brandy and he admitted his behaviour had been disorderly and reckless but he could not remember pushing or grabbing hold of the officers. He added that he was sorry for his behaviour.

The defendant, who has 28 previous convictions for 43 offences, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with intent to resist a police officer and pleaded guilty to drunk and disorderly behaviour in public.

Defence solicitor Kirsten Collins said Clarke, of Rosehill Close, Salford, has no recollection of holding the officers but he does not challenge the accounts of the incident given by the police.

Magistrates fined Clarke £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

He was also ordered to pay £50 to each of the two officers involved in the incident as compensation.