Gatecrasher smashed police station, attacked officer
A party gatecrasher smashed up the Rangiora Police Station after his arrest, spat inside the station, threatened one constable and bashed another.
The constable Norton Lindsay Adams bashed received concussion, nausea, swelling around his spine, and headaches.
Adams, 22, was already on a sentence of intensive supervision at the time of the incident on January 26.
He appeared in the Rangiora District Court session in Christchurch yesterday and pleaded guilty to charges of being unlawfully in a yard – gatecrashing the party – threatening the constable who arrested him, intentionally damaging the police station, and assaulting another constable with intent to injure him.
The cost of the damage he did is still being assessed and will be reported to the court ahead of Adams’ sentencing on May 9. Judge David Saunders asked for a report on his suitability for home detention and community detention sentences, and asked for a report on a significant amount of unpaid fines Adams already owes.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Jeff Kay said Adams had been in Rangiora with friends to attend the Muscle Car Madness car show at the showgrounds.
Just before midnight, police were called to an address in White Street because a group of people had arrived at a 25th wedding anniversary party uninvited. A fight broke out when the group was asked to leave and the home owner was knocked unconscious.
The group left before police arrived but Adams was arrested walking away from the scene and taken to the police station.
At the station, Adams tried to fight and was pepper-sprayed, without effect. He went into a rage, using a chair to smash a wooden table, and then using a metal bracket to smash his way out of the interview room to try to get at the police. He smashed the interview room’s door lock and its 30mm thick glass.
When he got out of the room he was confronted by the police officer with a taser. He then co-operated and was brought under control.
But he continued to abuse the policeman and threatened him. He spat on every surface he passed on his way to a more secure cell.
When another police officer escorted him from the police van to the holding cells at the Christchurch Central Police Station, Adams lunged forward and punched the constable in the head, neck, and upper body several times. He then kneed the constable in the body.
Sergeant Kay said: “Adams stated that he had planned the attack during the entire journey from Rangiora to Christchurch and was waiting for his opportunity.”
Adams is on bail at a Spreydon address pending sentencing.
Category: Focus
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