Jailed: councillor's son who stole TV and spat at policeman

Azad Hussain – whose father is former mayor of Worcester Coun Allah Ditta – stole £499 of electrical goods from a woman who was renting a house from his family.

Hussain, aged 25, claimed she owed him council tax and said that he was seizing her belongings, including a high-definition television and computer screen, until she paid up.

However, Worcester Magistrates Court was told that the claim was in fact a lie. The stolen goods have never been recovered.

Hussain, of Richmond Road, off Wyld’s Lane, Worcester, was found guilty of the theft at a trial he failed to attend last month. He was also found guilty of assaulting a police officer by spitting in his face.

The attack happened in May after Hussain was found by police lying in a front garden.

Matt Dodson, prosecuting, said he was intoxicated. He said: “His speech was at times incomprehensible and he was struggling to stand. He refused to leave the area.

“He was arrested after he lunged at a passing member of the public.”

Hussain spat in the officer’s face while on the way to the station.

Sam Lamsdale, defending, said Hussain had no recollection of the assault because the alcohol had reacted with his medication.

“Mr Hussain was the victim of an attack four years ago in which he was attacked with a hammer,” she said.

“It is thought he has since been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, panic attacks and some psychotic behaviour.”

She said Hussain worked as an assistant at a residential care home and was responsible for taking his sister’s children to and from school.

Sentencing Hussain to six months in prison, district judge Bruce Morgan said: “Community punishments have been imposed in the past, but obviously do not work because you carry on offending.

“You steal, you breach court orders by failing to come to court, then there is the despicable act of spitting at a police officer.”

l Your Worcester News was the only member of the media to attend the hearing