South Tyneside man threatened with Taser by police who called to check report of a domestic incident

A furious South Tyneside man was threatened with a 50,000-volt Taser when he clenched a fist at police who called to his home to check a report of a domestic incident, a court heard.

Angry Kurtis Wiscombe, 27, also aggressively removed his jacket and was verbally abusive but came quietly when the defensive weapon was drawn.

Wiscombe lost his temper when officers tried to arrest his partner from his abode in Birdhill Place, near Boldon Lane, South Shields, on Monday, September 4.

He did so while subject to a Newcastle Crown Court-imposed suspended jail term for offences including possession of a bladed article and inflicting grievous bodily harm.

For his latest misdemeanor, he appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court to plead guilty to obstructing or resisting an officer in the execution of his duty.

Read South Tyneside’s news on the go with our free email newsletters - bringing the headlines to your inbox. Catch up on the day’s news and sport and enjoy even more from your Gazette. Visit our website here to find out more and sign up.

Magistrates refused to activate the suspended sentence after hearing mitigation from Wiscombe’s defence solicitor and instead fined him £80 for his crime.

But they warned they were obliged to let the crown court know of their decision and a judge may take a different view – and urged him to learn to keep his temper in check.

Prosecutor Gurjot Kaur said: “Officers received information of a domestic incident at the defendant’s address.

“They had cause to arrest the defendant’s partner. He was not happy with that and became verbally abusive.

“He told them to get off his partner and he removed his jacket and clenched his fist.

“It led police to point a Taser at him, and they asked him to calm down. He was arrested for obstructing an officer.”

Tom Morgan, defending, said: “The defendant has an injury to the back of his head.

“His belief is that he had fallen and sustained a head injury, which was observed by the police.

“The police were directed by a neighbour to some blood outside the address. He was not in a particularly healthy state of mind.

“He was dealing with this really stressful situation of going with the police. He was confronted with a very stressful situation.

“It’s right to say he’s on a suspended sentence. This offence is so less serious than his earlier offences and not one in itself that warrants a custodial sentence.”

Wiscombe must also pay £85 court costs and a £32 victim surcharge.