A pub customer punched a policeman in the face and knocked him to the ground leaving the officer with a permanent scar, a court has heard. Benjamin Barnes had been asked to leave the bar because of his behaviour and then attacked the constable who responded to reports of the disturbance.
The defendant ran off from the scene but was pursued and caught by the bleeding PC. Barnes' barrister told Swansea Crown Court the defendant "bitterly regrets" his actions on the night in question and is seeking help for his alcohol and drug problems.
Georgia Donohue, prosecuting, told the court the assault took place outside the Castell Nedd Arms pub in Neath town centre on the evening of May 17 this year. She said police officers responded to reports of a disturbance involving a man who had been asked to the leave the bar and they approached Barnes as he stood in Angel Street as he matched the description of the person involved.
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The court heard 34-year-old Barnes initially gave officers the false name of Daniel and then became "agitated and evasive" as he was spoken to. When an officer tried to speak to a woman standing near Barnes the defendant pushed the PC in the chest . The officer went to grab the defendant but before he could Barnes delivered a powerful punch to his face which knocked him to the ground. The injured constable got to his feet and Barnes briefly squared up to him before running away in the direction of Windsor Road. The court heard the bleeding PC chased after Barnes and caught and arrested him.
The prosecutor said the defendant largely remained silent during his subsequent interview but did answer "no comment" to some questions. The constable suffered a severed artery in his lip which required "surgical intervention" as well as lacerations to his cheek and the inside of the mouth which required stitches. In an impact statement which was read to the court the officer said he was proud of his achievements while in the police and he said he had been left with a facial scar which he would have to deal with for the rest of his life.
Benjamin Barnes, of Windsor Road, Neath, had previously pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has four previous convictions for 10 offences including common assault. His last conviction was in 2020 for drink-driving.
Huw Davies, for Barnes, said the defendant had a history of difficulties with drink and drugs and with "mental health instability". He said during his conference with the defendant Barnes had been "tearful" and had expressed his remorse for his actions as he "bitterly regrets" what he did. The barrister said Barnes had two young children and had been offered employment with a firm called Cardiff Demolition but that job opportunity would be lost if he were to be sent straight into custody.
Recorder Aidan Eardley KC said it was clear the defendant had been in an agitated state after being asked to leave the pub and had refused to answer the PC's questions before assaulting him. He said he had read about Barnes' "significant and very longstanding" mental health issues and noted he was currently engaging with the community mental health team as well as seeking help for his alcohol dependency. The recorder said given everything he had read about the defendant he accepted there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in his case. With a one-third discount for his guilty plea Barnes was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 18 months and was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course and a nine-month alcohol treatment requirement.
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