Clipstone mum asked cops to taser her son in street brawl

The mother of a Clipstone man who assaulted two men in a 'volatile' street brawl on Christmas Eve pleaded with police to taser him, a court heard.
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Police arrived at a “large gathering” of 15 to 20 people where “tensions and tempers were running high”, on Mansfield Road, in the village at 8pm.

Christopher Coakley punched a passerby “hard in the face” as he walked past with his 17-week pregnant partner, and then attacked an officer who was trying to restrain his father, on Mansfield Road, at 8pm.

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“The defendant ran towards the officer shouting and screaming,” said prosecutor Neil Hollett. “He began windmilling his arms.”

The officer managed to get Coakley in a headlock and brought him to the ground.

“He continued to be extremely aggressive and threatened to fight all and sundry, and was very drunk,” said Mr Hollett. “His mother pleaded with officers to taser him.”

“He had to be placed in a police van because he was struggling so violently.”

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The officer was left with scratches and bruises. The passerby had no visible injuries, but was left with pain and discomfort.

In police interview, Coakley said he had been assaulted earlier by another male, and he punched the passerby because he “said something sarcastic.”

Coakley, 27, of Palace Gardens, Clipstone, admitted common assault, assaulting a police officer, and threatening behaviour, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Monday.

Chris Perry, mitigating, said: “Ordinarily he is a responsible parent and a full-time worker.”

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He said the attacks were “out of character”, and on the evening, Coakley had learned that his 87-year-old grandfather has cancer.

“It was four years to the day that he buried his grandmother,” Mr Perry added.

Coakley had also been due to have his six-year-old daughter for Christmas Eve, but the arrangements were changed at the last minute.

“He was brooding and he was down. What should have been a celebratory time was far from it,” said Mr Perry.

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Probation officer Cheryl Nisbet said the self-employed window cleaner had gone out for a quiet drink with his family and planned to drink five pints, but ended up drinking 15.

“On the way home he he met someone who he had trouble with earlier in the year,” she said.

“He disputes some of the details, and thinks that the police did make some things worse,” she said. “But he accepts they were doing their job.”

He admitted mixing with the wrong people, Mrs Nisbet added, and getting into conflict on a regular basis.

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She said Coakley had sought counselling for “intense feelings of rage and anger which he can’t always control.”

“To his credit he recognises this and wants to do something about it.”

Coakley was given a 20 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with 30 rehabilitation actvity days to address his anger management.

He was ordered to pay £115 government surcharge, with £85 costs and £50 compensation to the passerby and £100 to the officer.

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