Burnley antiques dealer hit police officer (From Burnley and Pendle Citizen)

Burnley antiques dealer hit police officer

2:00pm Thursday 13th September 2012 in News

AN antiques dealer gave a police officer a bloody nose and left him in pain after he was locked up following a drinking session, a court heard.

Now Stephen Austin, 57, has been given a curfew to stop him going to watch Clarets play on Saturdays and having one too many afterwards.

Austin, who has two shops in Burnley, had punched the officer through the cell hatch at the town's police station, after the victim went to check on his welfare, the town's magistrates were told.

Austin had been arrested after he was seen ‘bouncing off the walls, mumbling and spitting’ in the early hours of the day after the Burnley v Bolton Wanderers match.

The defendant, who has a conviction for similar behaviour in 2010, admitted being drunk and disorderly on Victoria Street, Burnley, and assaulting a police constable by beating on August 19.

The defendant, of Rochdale Road, Britannia, was given 12 months supervision, with a 12 week curfew, between 12.30pm and 11.30pm on Saturdays and 5.30pm and 11.30pm on Sundays. It will start on October 6. Austin must also pay £100 compensation and £55 costs.

Alex Mann, prosecuting, said officers were concerned he suffered from a heart condition and went to check on his welfare. He said he wanted his tablets for his back pain.

The officer told Austin it was unlikely the nurse would allow him his tablets when he was still drunk and the defendant thre-atened to damage the cell.

He was told he would be charged with damage and then thrust his clenched fist through the hatch, hitting the officer.

Jeremy Frain, for Austin, said he started to panicas as he had not got his medication.