Exclusive:South Yorkshire man with 99 offences on record headbutted female police officer
Officers had to request back-up from colleagues
A South Yorkshire man with 99 offences on his record is behind bars for headbutting a female police officer twice.
During a struggle with the officer, which lasted over four minutes, Adam Chopra, aged 31, also pulled her fingers painfully and injured her male colleague’s hand when they both fell.
Prosecutor Joseph Bell told Sheffield Crown Court that at one stage Chopra kicked a radiator off the wall and the officers were “so concerned” that they had to request back-up from colleagues.
However the defendant eventually tired, said he had “had enough” and became “compliant”.
The female officer said in a statement read out to court that she was “screaming in pain” during the assault and felt Chopra had “targeted her” instead of her male colleague.
Mr Bell said police were called on February 17 to a property on Windsor Avenue in Barnsley by Chopra’s mother after he had spent “30 minutes” punching and kicking at the doors and windows of her home.
He gained entry after damaging a door panel.
A barrister representing Chopra said his client had been seeking help for his mental health from his mother on the day.
His client, said the barrister, suffered from ADHD and an antisocial personality disorder and had been “in and out” of care since the age of eight up until the age of around 21.
However in a statement Chopra’s mother said her son had been “in and out” of prison, often coming out of custody “fresh and clean” but that would often change “within a few weeks”.
She added that Chopra had a “nice side” but that only appeared when he “wanted something”.
He had 55 previous convictions for 99 offences, the court heard.
The majority of these were theft-related however 16 were for criminal damage and five for violence.
Judge Graham Reeds KC told him: “You have a long record including offences of violence and harassment. Each was a sustained assault. Your assault (on the female officer) has had a substantial impact on her.
“The aggravating feature is your previous convictions and it is not to be forgotten these were police officers simply doing their jobs.”
Judge Reeds noted a pre-sentence report assessed Chopra as a “high risk” of reoffending.
Chopra, who had already been in custody for four-and-a-half months, admitted wounding with intent and assault. He was jailed for 29 months and handed a two-year restraining order.