Aggressive drunk in court after incidents at Bell Inn, Golden Green, and Shell garage, Tonbridge
05:00, 30 October 2024
updated: 12:09, 30 October 2024
An aggressive drunk bit a police officer after he was arrested for causing trouble at a pub and petrol station.
Yob Thomas O’Toole kicked and damaged the door of The Bell Inn, Golden Green, Tonbridge, and abused landlady Claire Tanner as he tried to get inside.
She’d recognised him as a regular and called the police but by the time they arrived at the Three Elm Lane venue, he’d made off in a taxi.
However, a short while later officers were called again when he became aggressive at a Shell garage.
The 30-year-old had entered the station’s store and started abusing staff - spitting at a perspex screen and damaging flowers and plants.
As officers tried to arrest him, he bit one on the arm and damaged another’s smartwatch as they wrestled to bring him under control.
He then shouted homophobic obscenities at the officers as they were taking him to the police station.
While en route, he spat in the vehicle and officers had to put a spit hood on him.
O’Toole, of Trench Road, Tonbridge, later admitted five counts of criminal damage, assault on an emergency worker and two counts of being drunk and disorderly.
He appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court on October 22 where prosecutor Debbie Jones told Deputy District Judge Nicola Fleck what happened.
She said: “Officers attended (Shell) and he started calling them f****** and then said to one he was going to f*** his mother.
“He was arrested and continued to call the officers f****** on the journey (to the police station) and then spat at the steering wheel and the rear seat.
“As he was removed he resisted officers and in the scuffle an officer’s watch fell off his wrist and smashed.
“Officers put a spit hood on him and as they did so he bit an officer on the forearm.
“During interview he couldn’t remember (what he had done).
“He has a number of previous convictions and is on a community order.”
The court also heard O’Toole had now given up drinking.
Andrew Main, defending, said: “He has no recollection of the incidents and he aplogises, he’s very remorseful.
“He is the registered carer for his elderly parents and looks after his four-year-old son.
“He is no longer drinking and has a driving test tomorrow, things are looking up (for him).
“He has a drunk and disorderly from March, so his offences seem to be fuelled by alcohol.”
Magistrates decided they would like a pre-sentencing report carried out before he is sentenced.
He will return to the same court on December 27 to hear his fate.
He was granted bail until then.
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