Spalding man fined for kicking police officer in face

A Spalding man who kicked a police officer in the face as he was being arrested for obstructing them as they tried to investigate a disturbance in his home, has been ordered to pay him compensation.

Sam Mason, 28, of Mclaren Gardens, admitted assaulting the officer by beating and obstructing the police when he appeared at Boston Magistrates Court.

Prosecuting, Dale Brownless said police were called to his home in the early hours of August 1 after members of the public had reported that a man had been seen restraining a woman in the garden.

He said officers found two men and two women at the house, all of them heavily intoxicated, and one of the women was upset and crying.

Mr Brownless said officers requested entry to the house to speak to the woman to ensure she was all right but Mason refused them entry and became aggressive and argumentative.

He said that after five minutes, he did agree that the woman go into the garden to speak to the officers but he did not want them to do so in private and eventually they had to place her in a police car to speak to her privately

He said Mason became more argumentative and aggressive and eventually they had to arrest him for obstruction and were forced to take him to the ground, where he continued to be aggressive towards the officers, lashing out with his feet, kicking one of the officers in the face.

Mr Brownless said Mason was lifted off the ground and immediately apologised to the officer for kicking him.

In mitigation, Beris Brickles said Mason had been in the military for six years and was now a delivery driver.

He said Mason had returned home from work at 11.30pm and found his partner, her sister and her boyfriend at the house, all of whom had been ‘drinking quite heavily’.

He said Mason’s partner had been in an argument with her sister and her boyfriend and become upset and it was her and her sister’s partner who had been seen by members of the public.

He said Mason was afraid his partner would say something stupid to the police and that was why he had tried to prevent her speaking to them in private.

He said Mason accepted he had kicked the officer but he had not known the officer was near his feet when he was lashing out and he had immediately apologised to him.

Mason, who has no previous convictions, was fined £192 for assaulting the officer and ordered to pay £200 in compensation.

He was given a 12 month conditional discharge for obstructing the police.