A MAN was found guilty today (Tuesday) of threatening police officers after being stopped while drunk.

Ajay Kumar was just metres away from his home in Bedford Road, Letchworth GC, when a police car pulled alongside to question him at around 2am on December 5 last year.

Officers Pc Laura Bye and Special Constable Alex Probert had been patrolling the area after reports of an assault, and had stopped the 23-year-old to see if he could assist with their enquires.

Hertford Magistrates’ Court heard how Kumar, who had been walking home from a friend’s house where he said he had had “a lot” to drink, swore at the officers and proceeded to act in a threatening manner.

Giving evidence, Special Constable Probert said: “He was flinging his arms around and he was very aggressive. I told him to stop shouting and to step back. I then told him to not threaten me after he told me he was going to ‘bang me out’. He just continued to shout and be abusive.”

Pc Bye, who made the arrest, said: “He was puffing out his chest and clenching his fists. I was concerned that he was going to assault my colleague but also myself. I was quite scared. I locked him in handcuffs to the rear. I pushed him against the police car that was nearby so he couldn’t spit at us.”

Kumar sustained facial injuries after being pinned on the ground, and was treated by a paramedic before being taken to Stevenage Police Station.

Kumar, who told the court he did not recall telling Special Constable Probert he would ‘bang him out, said: “I was only about 20 metres away from my house when I was stopped by the police. It was two o’clock in the morning and I have been stopped by the police before. I just felt angry as it wasn’t the first time it had happened.”

Summing up, district judge Gill Allison told Kumar: “Both officers gave very clear evidence that you did utter the threat ‘I will bang you out’ which in my estimation is an unusual form of words. I’m satisfied you did say these words and you did behave in a threatening way as the police say you did.”

Kumar, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of using threatening words and behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence, was fined �150 and ordered to pay �515 in costs.