Portsmouth man who went on drunken rampage smashing bottles on Commercial Road shopper and biting a police officer spared jail

Commercial Road, Portsmouth, near where the attack took place

David Alan Reilly, of Grafton Street, Buckland, left a man with injuries after smashing him over the head with a bottle in October last year near Debenhams on Commercial Road.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard the victim had become involved in the altercation because Reilly was arguing with his partner.

Recorder Edward Burgess QC said: ‘He was worried that you were going to hit her. Then you hit him in the back of the head with a bottle.

‘Your attack on him was unjustified and unprovoked. Two members of the public restrained you to stop kicking and you lashed out and tried to bite him on the left shoulder.’

Onlookers described another bottle being thrown during the incident and that it landed near to two women on mobility scooters.

Mr Burgess added: ‘Witnesses described your behaviour was that of a drunk man.’

After he was arrested by police, the court was told Reilly complained he had been struck first.

Recorder Burgess said: ‘I am quite satisfied by what I have seen and of course the CCTV that he did not strike you at all.’

The judge condemned Reilly’s attack on a police officer following the arrest where he was seen ‘biting him’ and also ‘kicking him in the genitals’.

Hampshire Constabulary also hit out at the attack.

A police spokesman said: ‘An assault on our people should never be seen as “just part of the job”. Officers and staff come into contact with people who are sometimes going through the worst experience of their lives, but this doesn’t give them the right to ever verbally or physically abuse our people. ‘The impact is huge as it not only affects that individual officer, but that officer’s family, and the people we serve because that officer may not be able to immediately return to duty.’

But as Reilly’s partner cried in the public gallery, Recorder Burgess said he would ‘take a chance on rehabilitation’ as his defence barrister Robert Harding told the court Mr Reilly had a potential job and child care responsibilities.

Recorder Burgess said: ‘If you slip up in any way, shape or form you will not get a second chance.’

Reilly sobbed in court as he was sentenced to 15 months for three offences suspended for two years. He pleaded guilty to two assaults by beating and one of unlawful wounding.

He has to pay a £140 victim surcharge, attend 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and undertake six months alcohol treatment.