A HOMELESS man has been handed a 22-week prison sentence after he threatened police with a pool cue and elbowed an officer in the face.
Hubert Gawek was slapped with a 12-week term for the public order offence and given a further ten weeks – to run consecutively – for assaulting a PC when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court via a video link last Friday (September 19).
Police Community Support Officers (PSCOs) were on foot patrol in the viaducts area of the city near the University Arena when they came across a group of six homeless people.
The court was told how, without warning, Gawek became aggressive towards the officers and pulled a pool cue from under a bench and raised it above his head as if he was going to attack them.
The 23-year-old, who has lived in the UK for six years, put the weapon down after police had pressed their emergency button before he picked it up again and lunged at them. Gawek ran from the scene when he heard sirens.
About ten minutes later another PCSO located him in a city car park but upon trying to restrain him, the defendant elbowed the officer to the mouth and pushed him on the floor, the court was also told.
Gawek, who was remanded in HMP Hewell for assaulting a PC on July 9, broke free but further police arrived and arrested him.
Defending solicitor Sam Lamsdale said: “In relation to the assault PC, fortunately the injuries caused weren’t too severe, there was grazing to the elbow and some swelling to the lip.
“He is a relatively young man, he is homeless and has been in the UK for six years and unfortunately his bag was stolen a while ago which contained all his identification and documents so he has found it extremely difficult to find employment.
“He does have family in the UK and it may be they can assist him when he’s released from custody.”
Gawek has five weeks taken off his sentence as he has already served them on remand.
District Judge Nigel Cadbury said: “Looking at the facts of the threatening behaviour there clearly was a fear and a threat of immediate and unlawful violence caused by you having the pool cue in your hands.
“You then went on ten minutes later to assault a police officer who was trying to arrest you. You have been convicted of assaulting the police before and you committed these offences while on bail.”
District Judge Cadbury also revoked Gawek’s existing community order in the interest of justice, and didn’t order any court costs, victim surcharges or compensation.
