Portsmouth man covered in blood and wielding baseball bat was 'trying to get into Gunwharf Quays flat' before he kicked a police officer

Drunk Aaron Broome left people in fear in Queen Street in Portsea on October 6 - with one lady so petrified she dashed out onto the road to get away from him.

The 33-year-old claimed he was attempting to gain entry to his address in Gunwharf Quays after getting locked out as he planned on playing baseball, Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court heard.

‘He had a baseball bat and was not being offensive or threatening anyone,’ prosecutor Graham Heath said.

‘Quite obviously he did scare people though...he had blood all down him and was shouting and screaming at the entrance (to the property). One lady ran straight out into the road to avoid him.’

Police were called to the public order incident before Broome lashed out with a shod foot at an officer as they attempted to put him inside their van.

The assaulted officer said: ‘He kicked out at my chest as I was trying to close the door. He kicked my body armour. I was not injured.’

During his interview, Broome said: ‘I was going to play baseball at the park and forgot my ball.’

The defendant admitted not ‘remembering very much’ after drinking vodka and said he had ‘no intention to kick the officer’ before adding: ‘I blame the alcohol.’

The court heard Broome had 41 previous convictions ranging from the ‘trivial to the serious’ and was last jailed in 2019.

Sally Martin, defending, said Broome was ‘worried about being locked up’ after admitting charges of threatening and abusive behaviour/language, and assaulting an emergency worker.

She said Broome, now of Inverness Avenue, Fareham, had a period of homelessness with events in his life taking a turn for the worse when he binge drank.

But with a new job as a maintenance assistant Ms Martin said his life was on an upward trajectory now.

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Magistrates decided not to impose jail and instead dished out a community order with 80 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation days. He was also told to pay £85 costs and a £95 surcharge.

With his liberty intact, Broome attempted to crack a joke with magistrates. ‘I had a laugh when I came before the court before...I was only trying to enter my flat,’ he said, before the chat was swiftly terminated by his lawyer.

A request for the forfeiture and destruction of the baseball bat was also requested. Broome added: ‘If you could destroy please.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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