A MAN on a suspended sentence has avoided being sent to prison, despite assaulting two police officers in a late night incident in Wrexham town centre.

Nathan Lee Horton, 27, of John Street in Chirk, was on a night out with friends on Saturday, January 11, when he became angry at the police for not helping him recover his coat from a nightclub. Horton gestured at a female officer on two occasions, as well as telling her to “do her f*****g job”.

After subjecting the same officer to more abuse, she made an attempt to arrest him, but he resisted and also grabbed her leg.

Anouska Youds, prosecuting, told Mold Magistrates Court how Horton had to be brought under control by several officers and although handcuffed from behind, spat out at a police support officer, and when placed inside a police vehicle, kicked out at the walls as he was being taken into custody.

When he arrived at the police station, his behaviour was described as being so un-cooperative, he had to be forcibly removed from the vehicle and placed immediately into a cell.

Horton pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting an emergency worker and one of resisting arrest.

Ms Youds explained how Horton was serving a suspended sentence at the time of offence, having been sentenced to 14 weeks for assaulting another police officer back on November 5.

Alun Williams, defending, told the court that his client had travelled into Wrexham on the train to meet friends and having had drinks in several establishments, had been in the Atik nightclub at around 1am.

After leaving and trying unsuccessfully to get into the Penny Black, Horton had been denied re-entry into Atik and remonstrated with door staff that both his coat and friends were still inside.

Horton approached a police officer for help in retrieving the coat, only to be told to “go away” at which point he had become angry and took his frustrations out on them, actions which Mr Williams said he deeply regretted the following day.

Mr Williams also explained how Horton had been diagnosed with depression and more recently a personality disorder, conditions which had resulted in him receiving the suspended sentence in the first place.

Horton had been threatening to jump off a bridge last year, and when two police officers intervened and tried to help him, he had kicked out at them.

After considering the matter for some time, Michael Jones, Chair of the Magistrates told Horton he would be pleased to hear “we’re not going to send you to prison” as he told him he would instead be extending the operation of the suspended sentence from 12 to 24 months.

Horton was also placed on a curfew, which means you will not be able to leave his house between the hours of 6pm and 6am. He must also pay £50 compensation to each of the police officers, pay court costs of £85 and a surcharge of £90.