Mansfield Covid man struggled with armed police and blew into an officer’s face

Police received a 999 call from a woman who screamed for help before the call ended abruptly at 11pm on Sunday, March 7, said prosecutor Jim Clare.

It was traced to Sean Phillips' address on Nottingham Road and, when officers arrived at the shared house, they heard a woman crying in pain and asking for help.

"I decided I needed to get inside the flat, sooner rather than later, because I believed someone was in danger," said an officer in a statement.

He drew his Taser, kicked in the flat door and found Phillips laid on a double bed in the bedroom. He was holding a woman, who had fresh injuries to her face, under the covers.

Phillips became aggressive and when the officer started putting handcuffs on him, he lunged and was pushed into the hall. He continued to resist and fight until he was taken to the ground.

After he was handcuffed, Phillips claimed that he was Covid-19 positive and, as he was put into the back of the police car, he blew directly into the officer's face.

The court heard he has previous convictions for 60 offences and was last in trouble in 2017, when he was sentenced to 32 weeks for offences including domestic abuse.

Probation officer Mark Burton said Phillips claimed he was breathing harder than normal due to COPD and was drunk at the time, following an argument with his partner.

"He has no recall of precisely what happened in the altercation," he said.

Arjun Madahar, mitigating, said Phillips was remorseful and ‘distressed’ about what happened when he sobered up.

Phillips, 42, of Nottingham Road, Mansfield, admitted common assault on an emergency worker when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Magistrates said it was a ‘particularly unpleasant offence’ at a time when ‘all public servants are fighting Covid-19 on behalf of the country’.

They sentenced him to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years.

Phillips must attend the Building Better Relationships course for 31 days and a 12-day course to address his alcohol issues.

He must pay £100 compensation to the officer and a £128 victim surcharge.

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