"I am going to floor you all!"

Sunday 26 July 2020

A visiting 22-year-old resisted arrest after getting ejected from the KGV clubhouse, overpowering police officers and spitting at one of them.

James Hurst, a Tiler from Stockport, arrived in the island shortly before lockdown to visit a relative.

However, he ended up staying during the lockdown and on 29 June, one day before the island moved into Phase 5, he went out with friends to the KGV.

Hurst reportedly "could not keep up" with his friends, got very drunk and started acting "aggressively" towards another person. 

He was thrown out of the clubhouse at around 20:20 and was outside, behaving in an "agitated" way and "gesticulating wildly" at another man when two police officers approached him. 

He was asked to calm down, but only did so for a few seconds, so the officers attempted to arrest him for disorderly conduct. 

Hurst pushed them away and overpowered the two female officers, "dragging them around" and evading arrest. 

Pictured: Hurst was thrown out of the KGV after behaving aggressively towards another person.

After some struggle, the Crown Prosecutor said the officers and a couple of civilians helped to get Hurst under control and handcuff him to the rear of the van.

When further officers arrived, he continued to kick out and resist going in the police van, swearing at the officers and spitting at one of them, although the prosecution said it was unclear whether the spit landed. 

"I am going to f*cking floor you all," Hurst reportedly shouted at police.

Defence Advocate David Domaille said his client had shown "genuine remorse, embarrassment and disbelief" at his actions, and was "horrified" to learn that he had spat at one of the officers, since he has "no recollection" of the night due to his level of intoxication. 

"I suggest you Zoom the next time you want to speak to your family in Guernsey."

Advocate Domaille said his client was visiting the island for the first time and does not have a Right to Work permit in Guernsey, so intends to leave the island as soon as possible.

He urged Judge Gary Perry to issue Hurst with a fine instead of a custodial sentence that would require him to stay in Guernsey. 

Judge Perry said: "You came here as a visitor to the island and Guernsey welcomed you. You repaid that by committing these offences before the island was fully out of lockdown."

"This was a lengthy incident involving the waste of many police officers' valuable time."

Pictured: Police had to dispatch further officers to the KGV after Hurst refused to go with the first two - something the Judge said was a waste of officers' valuable time. 

Judge Perry said the offences crossed the threshold for a custodial sentence. However, he didn't want taxpayers to have to pay for Hurst's stint in prison, and asked him simply to leave and not come back. 

"I hear you will leave and I am glad to hear that - hopefully you take the earliest opportunity."

"I suggest you Zoom the next time you want to speak to your family [in Guernsey]."

Hurst was fined £600 for the disorderly behaviour charge and has also been made to pay £350 compensation to the police officer he attempted to spit at. He also has a six months suspended prison sentence which will be activated should he offend again in the Bailiwick in the next two years. 

"We'd prefer it if you don't come back, but if you do, please behave," said Judge Perry in closing. 

Pictured top: Guernsey's Court.