'Pathetic' Bradford man jailed for 10 offences

Jonathan Turner was described as “a nuisance” by a judge at Bradford Crown Court who jailed him for 10 offences including spitting at and biting police officers.

Turner, of South Street, Bradford, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds, also smashed windows at his former home, causing £4,000 worth of damage.

Prosecutor Gabrielle Wilks said Turner entered a shop on Ivegate on June 1 wearing a balaclava mask, which a shop assistant asked him to remove. He refused and instead approached the counter with his arm behind his back. He was seen to be holding a Stanley knife.

A customer went next door to call for help and Turner left. He was spotted nearby by police officers and CCTV footage showed he had discarded the knife on a window ledge in Queensgate.

Turner told officers he had taken diazepam tablets and fell unconscious, so was taken to hospital. He later kicked out at hospital staff, threatened police as they put him in leg restraints, spat at them, and bit one on the hand.

Turner has been jailed (Image: West Yorkshire Police) Eight days after the knife incident, on June 9, Turner smashed several windows at a house on Laisteridge Lane where he used to live and from where he had been turned out by his landlord.

On August 10 he committed burglary and theft, taking sports gear from a house in Keighley whilst a family was at home. He was identified from CCTV footage.

Mitigating, Simon Hustler said the brief incident in the shop had come about as a result of Turner being in “an agitated state within himself that he was unable to get under control” after taking too much prescription medicine.

He said Turner’s behaviour towards the police had been “deplorable and unforgivable” and that it amounted to “a pathetic grown-up tantrum”, adding: “He was doing what he could to be as objectionable and difficult as possible.”

He said: “His immaturity at the age of 54 is manifest in what used to be called a dirty protest at the police station. He attracts police attention through irrational behaviour and then fails to accept its consequences without being as difficult as he possibly can.”

He said Turner had an inability to handle things in rational and adult manner and added: “He is 54 and should know better. He does want help.”

The case was heard at Bradford Crown Court (Image: Newsquest) Sentencing Turner to a total of three years and four months in prison for all his offences His Honour Judge Ahmed Nadim said: “You are a nuisance. You have no sense of responsibility towards the public, and you have very little resolve and determination to amend your offending behaviour.

“Shopkeepers provide a very important service to the community. People such as you view them as soft targets.

“Victims deserve the protection of the court.”