Worcester Magistrates Court: Jack Payne makes a return to court

Serial offender Jack Payne, of Waterworks Road, Worcester - who has appeared a number of times in the Worcester News for various offences - made his latest appearance at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, (February 29). 

Tom Wickstead, prosecuting, said Payne was arrested and put in a cell at Worcester Police Station on January 12 this year. 

"His behaviour was quite confrontational - he becomes agitated and frustrated with officers making personal comments", the prosecutor said.

Mr Wickstead said Payne took a particular dislike to PC Richardson who left before returning to help. 

COURT: Jack Payne outside Worcester Magistrates Court (Image: Sam Greenway/Newsquest)

When he returned, while Payne was handcuffed, the defendant then kicked the officer in the stomach with force. 

The prosecutor said the officer managed to dodge most of the kick, and was wearing chest body armour at the time so was not injured as a result. 

The prosecutor said the offence was aggravated by Payne's previous offences which included breaching a criminal behaviour order, criminal damage and assaulting another emergency worker. 

PEST: Jack Payne was jailed last year (Image: West Mercia Police)

Payne, who admitted assault by beating of an emergency worker, was represented in the case by Barry Newton.

The solicitor explained to magistrates Payne had felt aggrieved to have been arrested originally for an offence that went no further, and said the defendant had been surrounded by a number of officers in the cell at the time.

CASE: Jack Payne appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court

"Payne made multiple apologies to PC Richardson about what happened," the solicitor said. 

Mr Newton explained Payne was currently on post-sentence supervision after going to prison last year and had done well on an alcohol abstinence tag as he battled an alcohol addiction.

The solicitor said Payne committed the offence in January due to a relapse as the people around him were drinking. 

Before magistrates began their deliberations the court clerk told them Payne's record showed he owed more than £5,000 in outstanding fines. 

Jacqueline De Sousa, the chairperson of the magistrates bench, told Payne they had considered a suspended sentence but said "we want to support you". 

Payne was given a 12-month community order with a requirement to spend 50 days on an alcohol abstinence monitoring tag and to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. 

Payne was ordered to pay £185 costs and £114 victim surcharge - the total of £299 being added to the amount he owes being deducted from his benefits. 

We reported last year on the case Payne was jailed for in which he assaulted a police officer, spat in a police van and resisted arrest.