South Shields man fined after threatening to “spark” policeman while drunk

A drunk South Tyneside cider drinker threatened to “spark” a policeman after his inebriated midnight ramblings drew them to his door.

Kailem Young, 25, made the remark during an aggressive outburst outside his home in Bradley Avenue, near the Nook, South Shields.

Young, who has gained two official warnings about his boozy behaviour in the past six years, wrongly claimed officers were bullying his gran, a court heard.

When they arrived late on Wednesday, July 19, and asked if he was being threatening towards them, he replied, “Because I am, mate”.

And when one officer went towards his home, he warned another his colleague should “not bully my gran or I’ll run in and spark him”.

Prosecutor Claire Armstrong told borough magistrates: “At around midnight, police had cause to attend Bradley Avenue, following a report of a domestic incident.

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“They spoke to the defendant and while speaking to him, he said he had been drinking Strongbow.

“After a short while, he became disorderly and referred to one officer to “not to bully my gran or I’ll run in and spark him’.

“He was asked if he was being threatening, and he replied, ‘Because I am, mate’.

“He then told his mum to stay away from the door because the police wanted him locked up.

“He was rambling and had muddled speech and was being argumentative and he made threats. He was arrested because he was causing a disturbance in the street.”

Young, who has no previous convictions and receives disability benefits, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

The court heard he was given penalty warning notifications by the police in 2017 and last year for the same offence.

Asked for his version of events by magistrates while defending himself, he said: “That’s everything, really. I can’t remember much.”

He was fined £80, with £85 court costs and a £32 victim surcharge.