Worcester man jailed by magistrates after using a stepladder as a weapon

Lee Thomas' luck ran out at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, (July 21) having narrowly avoided jail last year. 

Thomas admitted assault by beating of an emergency worker, a police officer, on June 13 this year. 

WEAPON: Lee Thomas threw a stepladder at police. Stock image: Getty

Mehree Kamranfar, prosecuting, said police had been called to an address in Worcester in relation to a domestic incident, which they resolved.

"The defendant was removed from the address, and was being drunk and being aggressive," the prosecutor said.

"An hour later he returned being aggressive again, officers reattend.

"The defendant would not open the door - he runs up the stairs."

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Ms Kamranfar said Thomas threw various items down the stairs, including blankets.

The prosecutor said he threw a stepladder which hit PC Whadcock, causing pain to his finger. 

"The defendant locked himself in his room and eventually comes out, when he was arrested," Ms Kamranfar said.

Ms Kamranfar said Thomas had a number of offences on his record, and was in breach of a suspended sentence made in December last year. 

Barry Newton, defending, said: "He was drunk, he was so inebriated he can't remember what happened. 

"It is unusual for him to drink. 

"He feels ashamed about what happened that night.

"This is a man who was trying to get away from police, he threw a stepladder - it caused minor injuries."

COURT: Lee Thomas has been jailed at Worcester Magistrates Court

Mr Newton said the 43-year-old's record was predominately motoring offences, with only an offence of begging between 2010 and 2020, saying there wasn't a "pattern of offending".

He added Thomas, of Canterbury Road, Worcester, was in breach of the suspended sentence for motoring offences including driving without a licence and failing to stop - but he argued magistrates would feel it was unjust to activate that sentence. 

Lee Thomas asked magistrates how long he had been jailed for

After 30 minutes of deliberation Elaine Bell, chairman of the magistrates bench, told Thomas they were jailing him for five weeks for the offence.

She told Thomas the offence had been aggravated by using the stepladder as a weapon, and that he failed to comply with the suspended sentence. 

The chairman said they were activating the eight-week suspended sentence to run concurrently. 

Thomas then asked "How long am I getting?" to which he was told he would serve eight weeks in prison. 

Thomas was also ordered to pay £185 costs, a victim surcharge of £128 and compensation of £50 to the officer.