Chesterfield man 'slipped his cuffs and damaged police van'

A Chesterfield man slipped his handcuffs in the back of a police van and caused damage to a door after he’d been arrested, a court heard.
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Christopher Johnson had been arrested for another matter in November last year, which has been discontinued by Derbyshire Police, when he managed to get his hand free from his cuffs and ripped a rubber seal from the back of the police van, Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court was told on Monday, March 2.

Johnson, 36, of Hanbury Close, Holme Hall, Chesterfield, had been due to appear in court on February 26, but had failed to attend and was arrested on a warrant.

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Prosecuting, Emma Price said: “He had been in the back of a police van and had peeled the seal from around the door.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court, where Christopher Johnson was sentencedChesterfield Magistrates Court, where Christopher Johnson was sentenced
Chesterfield Magistrates Court, where Christopher Johnson was sentenced

“He had managed to free one of his hands from his handcuffs and caused damage to the seal.”

Johnson admitted causing damage to a police vehicle and breaching his bail conditions when he appeared before the court.

Mitigating, Lucy Hooper said that Johnson, who has 13 previous convictions, suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after discovering his wife’s body after she hanged herself.

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She said : “On the day of the offence he had been at a gathering at a friend’s house. He was released from prison in August and he’s been proactive in turning his life around.”

Magistrates agreed to continue Johnson’s post-sentence supervision, and fined him £40 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.