Last updated at 17:07, Friday, 14 September 2012

A HEAVILY intoxicated man was Tasered twice by police who feared he was about to attack them.

(NB, querying street address for Murphy and location of events with PB)

Magistrates heard Kevin Murphy, 42, drank nearly all of a litre bottle of vodka before becoming agitated and causing a disturbance at a house in Westminster Avenue, Walney.

The court heard Murphy had a drunken row with his mother, who then left the property.

The police then attended the scene of the disturbance in Westminster Avenue and succeeded in calming Murphy down before leaving to speak to his mother.

She told police she no longer wanted her son in the house.

When police told him this, and requested he leave to prevent further breach of the peace, he became threatening.

Murphy, of Walney, originally pleaded not guilty to obstructing a police officer in the course of their duty but changed it to guilty ahead of his trial at Furness Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

He was ordered by the court to pay a total of £200.

Magistrates were told that during the incident Murphy picked up an ornament and police feared he was about to attack them.

One of the officers, who was trained to use a Taser and had his weapon with him, used it to subdue the offender.

Defending, Trystan Roberts said Murphy never intended to harm the police officers when he picked up the ornament.

He said: “He maintains he had put that down and was then Tasered.”

The court was also told Murphy, whose address was given in court as Old Kent Road, Walney, had to be Tasered a second time before he could be taken away.

Magistrates heard Murphy had problems with his mental health, for which he was seeking help.

Mr Roberts added: “Mr Murphy is not a man who regularly troubles the police.”

Presiding magistrate Mervyn Cooper ordered Murphy to pay a £60 fine, £125 in prosecution costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

First published at 16:34, Friday, 14 September 2012
Published by http://www.walneylocal.co.uk