A COVENTRY man was Tasered through the still-open passenger window after driving off with a police officer’s hand trapped in his car window, dragging him along for a few feet.
Kaine Singh was given bail, and just days later he spat in another officer’s face after being arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, a judge at Warwick Crown Court has heard.
But he escaped being jailed after pleading guilty to assault, common assault on an emergency worker and two charges of failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
Singh, 21, of Thomas Lane Street, Bell Green, was given a seven-month sentence suspended for 18 months and was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and to take part in a rehabilitation activity.
Prosecutor Glyn Samuel said that at 3.50am on August 25 Pc Declan Kinsella and colleagues were dealing with incidents in the Skydome area of Coventry.
A member of the public approached them and pointed to a black car where it was said the driver was waving around a large knife.
Pc Kinsella went over to the car, which had its engine running, and asked Singh to turn the engine off while he spoke to him, at which Singh responded: “F*** that, no.”
Realising he might try to drive off, the officer asked for the keys and reached in to take them, and as he did so, Singh drove forward a short distance.
Pc Kinsella stumbled, but did not fall, and ran after the car and again reached in to take the keys.
“At that stage the defendant decided to wind up the window and trapped his hand, causing a small injury to his knuckle,” said Mr Samuel.
“At the same time he also carried on driving forward. So the officer was potentially going to be dragged by the car, but other officers reacted.”
Pc Kinsella had been dragged for about five feet before his colleagues fired their Tasers at Singh through the open passenger window, causing him to fall out of the car.
As he then struggled and tried to pull out the barbs, he was Tasered again, and even when he was handcuffed he continued to be abusive and threatening.
Mr Samuel, who pointed out no knife was found in the car, although there was a long screwdriver in the door pocket, said that at the police station Singh denied he had done anything wrong and refused to take a breath test.
He was bailed, and six days later police officers saw two men helping Singh to push his car to the side of the road at the junction of the A444 and Binley Road at 1.37 in the morning.
“He was clearly showing signs of having drunk alcohol, and was arrested and put in a police car.”
Because he was handcuffed behind his back, a seatbelt was not put on him, and he began to protest about that during the journey – and when the police driver stopped and turned round, Singh spat in his face.
So a spit hood was put over his head until they got to the police station where he again refused to take a breath test, added Mr Samuel.
Sentencing Singh, who had no previous convictions, Judge Peter Cooke told him: “Your behaviour was disgraceful. You drove the car forward, causing the Pc to stumble.
“He reached into the car and you wound up the window and drove off sufficiently to injure him.
“A few days later, again whilst intoxicated, you were abusive to officers and you spat fully into one’s face. It was truly revolting behaviour.
“This is a case which crosses the custody threshold, the victim was a public servant.
“But you do not pose a risk to the public, you have written a letter exhibiting the appropriate level of regret and apology, and the report states there is a good prospect of rehabilitation.”
