Man who held police at bay says sorry
Paul Phillips was arrested after a two-hour stand-off with police.
Officers cordoned off the bottom end of Commercial Road on January 3 at 7.30pm as the 46-year-old threw items from his flat in Avalon House,, Surrey Street as he was frustrated that he could not speak to a top police officer about a personal issue.
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Hide AdPhillips, now of Grafton Street, Buckland, demanded a force negotiator and did threaten to jump but was eventually arrested at 9.40pm after police burst into his flat.
Speaking outside court after he was sentenced, Phillips said he has apologised to a woman who was at a bus stop near his flat.
He said: ‘I got a sorry card and hand-wrote it to say sorry and I hand-delivered it to the police station.
‘I didn’t know she was there. If I’d have known that I wouldn’t have done that.’
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Hide AdGraham Heath, prosecuting, said: ‘What the defendant was doing was attracting attention to himself sat on the windowsill on the third-floor flat over Commercial Road throwing items below.
‘He was reported sitting on the ledge for whatever reason. British Telecom reported this to the police.
‘CCTV captured him throwing items out of his flat including computer printers.’
The road was cordoned off as police dealt with Phillips. No one was hurt during the incident.
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Hide AdMr Heath added: ‘It’s said he threw the items out as he wanted the police to attend as he wanted to speak to an inspector. He had contacted the police station on numerous occasions but was never allowed to speak to anyone.’
Phillips pleaded guilty to causing danger to road users.
Bridget O’Hagan, defending, said:‘It was a cry for help. He did try and seek help in a different way but he was frustrated and felt this would be the only way.’
Sentencing, chairman of the magistrates’ bench Jim MacDonald said: ‘From what we hear you were in a bad place on that occasion.
;’You have punished yourself already and obviously you need to keep consulting with those people able to help you in this situation.’
Phillips received a 12-month conditional discharge with £35 costs and a £15 victim surcharge to pay.