May 18 - Local Man Jailed For Attacking Police Officers
A father-of-two was sentenced to 20 months in prison after causing injury to a police officer, resulting in ten stitches to the mouth after a tooth was dislodged.
James Richard Lara, 45, was also sentenced to four months imprisonment for two counts of common assault at the Supreme Court today.
Lara pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault, one count of damage, one count of causing grievous bodily harm, one count of using threatening words, one count of carrying a bladed article and one count of failing to stop.
Carl Ramagge, who appeared for The Crown, told the Supreme Court that the first incident took place on 30th June last year, when Lara entered Autosport Ltd at around 3.30pm and asked for the manager. When he was told that the manager was not in the shop, Lara proceeded to throw items off the shelves and caused injury to two shop assistants when he threw a helmet at them.
The following day, Lara returned to the shop at around 3pm and once again asked to speak to the shop owner. He was told that if he behaved like he had the day before, they would contact the police. The defendant was seen to be carrying a knife in between his buttocks, and the police were subsequently informed.
The Crown was told that Lara was chased by the police from Waterport Road - where he had picked up his friend - all the way to Corral Road. He was finally stopped by Sortie Road in Laguna Estate.
Upon being stopped by the police, Lara allegedly punched PC Duncan Stuart on the right side of his cheek in an unprovoked attack, and a struggle ensued between the defendant and the police officer. Lara’s friend, who gave a witness statement to The Crown, was said to have told his friend to calm down, and eventually allowed the police officer to handcuff him and take him in for questioning. Both police officers were injured in the incident.
Representing the defendant, David Dumas QC (assisted by Charles Bonfante) explained that Lara was remorseful and had acted out of provocation and self-defence. He also said that Lara, a father of two daughters, was going through a difficult divorce and lived with his widowed mother whom he helped with household chores as well as carrying out his own job at Gib Dock.
In sentencing, Puisne Judge Karen Prescott said serious injury was done to two police officers. She said: “I accept that this was more of an impulsive action than a pre-meditative one, but I will not accept that this was self-defence.”
Lara will be serving both sentences concurrently.
