A remand prisoner due to be sentenced for assaulting police declined to attend court. But a judge pressed on in his absence.
Joshua Malone was brought to Bristol Crown Court after admitting a plethora of offences. The court heard he was so anxious he refused to face the judge to learn his fate.
Malone, 29, of Bath Road in Totterdown, pleaded guilty to assault with intent to resist arrest and assaulting an emergency worker. He also admitted attempted theft of a high-value bike and battery of a shop worker.
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Judge Michael Longman jailed him for 26 months, saying: "The offences are aggravated by an extremely long record, including offences of violence towards police." The court heard that, in an incident in Bristol in June last year, an "extremely agitated" Malone resisted arrest. He made body contact with two officers and had to be restrained with incapacity spray.
In May this year he was with another person when they tried to steal a high value bicycle from the Trek Bicycle Bristol in Queen's Avenue, the court heard. In that incident a member of shop staff intervened and was assaulted, suffering a grazed arm.
John Stokes, defending, said his client had one child and another on the way. He told the court: "His previous convictions show a propensity for low level violence and shoplifting.
"This is a reflection of emotional difficulties and instability. There is some indication of possible ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
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