Man who assaulted firefighters is jailed

Denis Ford, 53, brandished a kitchen knife when fire crews were called to his flat in London Road, Waterlooville, on June 4.

A neighbour had called 999 after a smoke alarm was set off, with smoke coming out of Ford’s flat.

The crew had to force entry as he did not let them in, magistrates were told.

Ford admitted one charge of assault in respect of firefighters Mark Allen and Craig Sadler.

He was told to pay a £115 victim surcharge. Ford also admitted breaching a suspended sentence for threatening criminal damage, using two counts of threatening abusive or insulting words or behaviour to provoke fear of violence and assault by beating.

Those offences dated back to April 20 in Waterlooville.

Portsmouth magistrates jailed him for 18 weeks in total for the new incidents and the suspended sentence at the hearing last month.