Man inscribed swastika into door, smashed windows and spat at police in ‘homophobic’ attack on pub landlords
The man inscribed a swastika into the pub’s wooden door. (Google maps)
In a string of crimes over four days, a man inscribed a swastika on a pub door, smashed windows and shouted homophobic language at the pub landlords before spitting at police as he was arrested.
According to DerbyshireLive, Kierien Harrison, 27, who has Asperger’s syndrome, was arrested in the early hours of October 4 after police were called to the Anglesey Arms in Winshill, East Staffordshire.
That day he had smashed the windows and bonnet of a car belonging to one of the pub landlords with a hammer, inscribed a swastika into the wooden pub door and smashed one of the building’s windows.
Prosecutor Shaun Williams told Cannock Magistrates’ Court that Harrison resisted arrest when the police arrived, and began shouting homophobic language at the pub owners.
Williams said: “The police arrived and detained Mr Harrison in the car park.
“The defendant was shouting homophobic language to [the victim].
“The nature of the assault on the police officer is that the defendant was resisting fiercely and he was trying to bite and punch the male officer – blows the officer was managing to avoid.
“He later spat over the officer and had to be placed in a spit hood.”
Harrison admitted to charges of assault and criminal damage.
A report by the Probation Service said: “The defendant admitted the offences. He said they must have happened but he can’t recall the offences or much at all of these evenings, mainly due to the high levels of intoxication.
“It’s also of note that the defendant does have autism, namely Asperger’s.
“The defendant is not homophobic. He has no issue or ill feeling towards the landlords of the pub.
“He has a vague recollection of the police. He can recall panicking and did not understand what was happening. It was likely that the defendant was in a poor state of mind.
“He believes his offending behaviours would have upset them [the victims] but his understanding is limited, due to his autism.
“He regrets what he has done. As regards to the police officers, he said they were just doing their job. He wishes he had not committed any of the offences.”
He was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and is required to pay compensation costs of £2,765.
