A Swindon man claimed to be part of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and threatened to kill two men in the street, a court heard.
Irishman Patrick Cawley, 46, appeared before Swindon Magistrates Court this afternoon where he pleaded guilty to two racially aggravated public order offences and two assaults on police officers.
Crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger said the defendant, of Conisborough, Toothill, pulled up in his car at around 9pm 6 February last year, got out and approached two males aggressively – shouting and swearing at them.
It’s said the victims believed him to be intoxicated, and they feared they were going to be assaulted by Cawley. He shouted the word ‘c**t’ repeatedly and bellowed: ‘I’m going to kill all you English scum, I’m part of the IRA.’
In fear for their safety, the pair together restrained Cawley against a wall. They soon released him, and he threw a punch towards them, which resulted in a further ‘scuffle’. One of the victims believes they were bitten by the defendant, but there was no evidence which confirmed that.
Police officers arrived at the scene and handcuffed him behind the back. The officers, PC Johnstone and Special (voluntary) PC Hitchcock, described him as being drunk and unsteady on his feet.
Whilst handcuffed, Cawley kneed PC Johnstone in the leg. As a result of this attack, he is taken to the floor and restrained with force. Special PC Hitchcock was then kicked to the face.
The officers suffered pain and discomfort but didn’t sustain any lasting injuries.
When Cawley was interviewed in custody, he told officers he had no memory of the incident and believes he was suffering a schizophrenic episode.
He said: “Please apologise to the members of the public and the police officers for my behaviour.”
Defending him, his solicitor told the court his client has no recollection of what happened and fully believed his actions were down to schizophrenia. Though, he doesn’t have a formal diagnosis.
Cawley felt the two males were attacking him, and he reacted badly to that, he said. Adding that the defendant believed the officers were ‘particularly heavy-handed with him’ at the scene. He’s said to have suffered injuries which he made reference to in his interview at the police station.
The solicitor, quoting part of Special PC Hitchcock’s statement, said his injury was sustained when the officer was putting leg restrains onto Cawley. The statement confirmed Cawley has ‘recklessly’ hurt the officer by thrashing around, with his ‘heels coming up towards his body and his foot brushing past the officer’s face’.
He added that the defendant was sectioned for five weeks in January and as a result of that intervention was now working again and receiving treatment.
Magistrates sentenced him to a 12-month community order with 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. They also imposed a £200 fine for each public order offence and told to pay both injured police officers £100 compensation.
They also ordered Cawley to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs.
