Hot-tub party drunk spat blood in policeman's face in Notts

Warren Bentley, 26 pleaded guilty to assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty and damaging a police car when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The court heard Bentley was very drunk, aggressive and wearing just boxer shorts when he was arrested at his home on Duke Street, Hucknall just after midnight on April 9.

Officers had been called after reports that a man had assaulted a woman.

A group of very drunk women, all wearing swimming costumes were shouting in the vicinity, when police arrived, magistrates were told.

Bentley was led to a police car where he continued ranting and demanding to know why he had been arrested.

Police said Bentley who was in the back seat of the Ford Focus car then leapt forward and headbutted one of the two metal poles in the head rest in front of him.

The impact cut his forehead and blood trickled into his mouth.

The officer driving the van stopped to request a police van and told Bentley to calm down.

The court heard Bentley made a ‘guttural snorting noise’, made eye contact with the officer and spat blood and saliva into his face from just a foot away.

The court heard there was blood on the policeman’s clothing and the steering wheel and dashboard of the car.

Bentley then continued to spit in the vehicle.

In a statement the officer said: “I managed to close my eyes, but being spat at is disgusting and dangerous

“Not to mention the sheer unpleasantness of it here are many blood borne diseases you are at risk from.

“It is a disgusting and unacceptable thing to do regardless of the profession of the victim.”

The court heard Bentley, a father of two had been hosting a hot tub party at the house where he lived with his partner, for her sister’s 21st birthday and everyone had been wearing swimming costumes.

His defence said a fight had broken out among the women at the party and Bentley said he had been keeping the peace when the police arrived, so did not understand why he had been arrested.

Bentley had been drinking all day. He apologised to the officer and recognised his behaviour had been unacceptable.

District Judge Jonathan Taaffe said; “This a detestable act over a sustained period of time which you carried out to degrade the officer knowing he would have to have tests over a number of months.

This has had not just a physical, but a psychological impact for many weeks.

“People have to be aware that a hot tub party is not an excuse for behaving like animals.”

He sentenced Bentley to 15 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months, with 120 hours of unpaid work in the community.

He was ordered to pay £500 compensation to the officer, £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £115.