A YOUNG troublemaker assaulted three police officers in the process of being arrested and upon his subsequent arrival at a custody suite.

Kielan Tallentire, who has previous offences for resisting arrest, obstructing police, assaults, and breaching an anti-social behaviour order on his record at the age of 21, was sentenced to 20-months’ imprisonment at Durham Crown Court.

Anthony Dunne, prosecuting, said the latest offences took place late on January 20, when police went to his home in Spennymoor to arrest him on suspicion of burglary.

As he was being escorted from the property he delivered a “round house” kick at an officer, who managed to avoid being hit other than to the tip of his thumb, receiving an undisplaced fracture in the process, which required hospital treatment.

Mr Dunne said when the defendant was admitted to Darlington Police Station he refused to listen as his charge was read out and he walked off down a corridor.

He then struggled with police and struck out at a female officer who went to assist, knocking her over and causing the back of her head to hit the concrete floor, briefly rendering her unconscious.

Tallentire was muttering that he would give the police involved “another section 18”, the terminology for grievous bodily harm with intent, and another officer was forced to the ground as efforts were made to detain Tallentire.

He was found to be in possession of 19 pregabalin pills, class C substances, but made no comment when questioned.

Summaries of victim statements of all three officers assaulted during the course of Tallentire’s detention were read to the court by Mr Dunne.

They described the physical and psychological effects of the incident and of the burden placed on their colleagues by being unable to continue duties due to medical treatment required.

Tallentire, 21, of Middlestone Moor, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and possession of a class C drug.

The burglary allegation was not proceeded with by the Crown.

Tony Davis, for the defendant, stated that the report prepared by Tallentire’s offender manager within the Probation Service, “makes for depressing reading.”

He said Tallentire has remained in custody for most of this year, having been recalled to prison to serve the unserved part of a 30-month sentence imposed for robbery in 2020.

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Mr Davis said the defendant has offended “persistently” since he was a juvenile, something of which he is, “not proud” and, “a cycle he needs to break.”

“His brushes with the law have tended to escalate, but he’s still a very youthful individual and I believe this is his first experience of adult incarceration.”

Jailing him, Judge James Adkin told Tallentire, “an aggravating feature” of the case was his record for such assaults on police and is “deserving” of an immediate prison sentence.

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