A court has heard how a Pembrokeshire DJ made an on-duty police officer fear for his life as he attempted to restrain him following an assault frenzy at Tenby.
“I was fearful and in a dark place,” the officer said in a victim impact statement read out to Haverfordwest magistrates earlier this week.
“I knew I was in real danger, and I was terrified I was going to die.”
Officers were called to a property in Haytor Gardens, Tenby, in the early hours of November 13, 2022.
A small party had taken place there throughout the evening to celebrate somebody’s new job.
Kameron Hawkridge, 22, had received a call at around 11pm asking if he could go there to DJ, which he does on a part-time basis.
“Everything was fine but then the defendant went outside with his partner," said Crown Prosecutor Kelly Rivers.
"Fiona [Webb], one of the women at the party, heard a neighbour telling the defendant to turn the music down."
Hawkridge returned inside the house and was asked to leave.
“He did, but then he returned once again through the back door, holding a bottle of Stella. By now he was angry, irate and aggressive, and they tried to push him out.”
At this point Hawkridge grabbed Ms Webb and punched her to her face causing her lip to bleed. He also hit another woman to her face, Niamh Slack, causing scratching to her eye, her cheek, her arm and her left collarbone.
Further assaults were made to Jamie Hicks and Jordan Asparassa who were all present at the party.
Ms Webb’s VW Golf was also damaged during the fracas, amounting to a smashed window and a dent to the bodywork. The cost of repairing the vehicle amounted to £1,005.
“A number of officers were called to the scene because of the multiple assaults that had taken place and Kameron Hawkridge then became aggressive towards the police,” continued Kelly Rivers.
“As one of the officers tried to put him in handcuffs, Hawkridge bit him, leaving a ‘C’ shape on the skin of his arm.”
In his victim impact statement, PC O’Boyle said the incident has had ‘a significant impact’ on his life.
“The bite caused me pain straight away because it broke the skin,” he said.
“This had a significant impact on my life for many months, as I had to have blood tests because the defendant said he was a drug user, and this has made it difficult for me to interact with my family.”
Hawkridge was then restrained by PC O’Sullivan which resulted in a stand-off.
“This left the officer feeling very frightened as it was pitch black, and he thought his colleagues had moved elsewhere,” said Kelly Rivers.
“He could feel Hawkridge breaking free from his grip as he was too strong for him.”
“I knew I was in real danger,” PC O’Sullivan told the court in his statement.
“I received a blow to my forehead and I remember there was an arm around my neck. And this was when my fear of being beaten up changed to being killed. I was terrified I was going to die.”
Kameron Hawkridge, of Hazelbeach Road, Waterston, pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting an emergency worker, four charges of common assault and two charges of criminal damage to the VW Golf and a police vehicle.
He was represented in court by Mr Michael Kelleher.
“He was the odd one out at this party and the people formed the view that he needed to be ejected,” he said.
“He was. But after he was ejected, the people in the party threw his decks out which landed on the concrete. He’s a DJ and his equipment cost him £1,000.
"He asked them to bring his speakers out, but they didn’t, and so he went back inside to get them and this was when he lashed out.”
Mr Kellerher went on to say that after being arrested, Hawkridge was handcuffed, put into leg restraints, and placed into a cage inside a police van.
“He was then taken to Brecon Police station which involved an 80 or 90 mile journey in a cage. He had no seat belt and every time he went around a sharp bend he fell onto the floor. And the police wouldn’t tell him where they were going.
"He was in a very agitated state and felt he’d been pushed from pillar to post.”
Hawkridge was sentenced to an 18-month community order during which he must carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation requirement days.
He was also ordered to pay a total of £2,349 comprising court costs and compensation to the six victims and for the damaged vehicles.
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