Outburst at police was '˜due to his illness'

When visiting defendant Alfie Dunstan, police had no intentions of detaining him, but Dunstan grew unhappy with them as he grew angry and started abusing them.

Burnley magistrates were told how 27-year-old Dunstan, who is bi-polar and has manic disorder, had not been taking his medication at the time.

The defendant, of Hudson Street, Burnley, admitted using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour on April 17th and was fined £64, with a £30 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Mrs Alex Mann, prosecuting, told the hearing police were looking for someone else before Dunstan swore at officers and told them they were not causing problems at his address.

Police tried to explain why they were there and said the defendant was loud and aggressive before he picked up an ornament and swung it around and threatened to harm himself and climb onto the roof. Mrs Mann added: “He didn’t do any of these things. He was mouthing off, in effect.”

Mr Mark Williams, defending, said Dunstan had significant mental health issues, saying: “I suspect his outburst was because he had not been taking his medication.”

Dunstan got “completely the wrong end of the stick” about what was going on and was ranting out of the window, Mr Williams explained, before adding: “That’s really what it was, a rant. He got all worked up about it. He finds it very difficult to control himself on occasions such as this.”

“It’s something that shouldn’t have happened,” the solicitor continued.

“He apologised in his interview.”