A violent and abusive man who grabbed a police officer’s radio and beat him around the head with it has been jailed for 21 months. 

David Coope had been drinking and became aggressive when he turned up uninvited at the home of his former partner in breach of his bail, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Coop, 35, of Bowmere Drive, Allerton, Bradford, damaged the front door by forcing his way into the property on January 14 after the woman and her friend had left.

She called the police when she saw him on the doorbell camera and two officers arrived soon afterwards, prosecutor Philip Adams said.

Coope struck out at both of them when they had pushed their way into the address after he refused to let them in. He then seized the radio from the male officer and hit him several times over the head with it causing an injury to his ear.

He was PAVA sprayed to no effect and was struggling with the officer when two more officers arrived and he was overpowered and handcuffed.

When he arrived at Bradford’s Trafalgar House Police Station he kicked out at two officers and tried to bite a third.

Mr Adams said the violence lasted for more than an hour and Coope continued to be abusive for another two hours after that.

The officer struck with the radio sustained swelling and bruising to his head and he was still in pain several hours later.

Coope pleaded guilty to two offences of criminal damage, affray, resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer causing him actual bodily harm and assaulting a police officer as an emergency worker.

The court heard he had 19 convictions for 35 offences, including six for assault, a house burglary, battery and assaults on police.

Rebecca Young, Coope’s barrister, said he had a long-standing problem with alcohol but he had only two pints that day and believes his drink was spiked.

He had no recollection of his actions that day and was mortified when told what he had done. He had sustained broken ribs and bruising and had no idea how that happened.

He was making great strides to turn his life around while in custody.

Judge Andrew Hatton jailed Coope for a total of 21 months.

He was sentenced on a video link to HMP Leeds where he was remanded.

A five-year restraining order protects his former partner from him.