Watch as man hurls bottle and pint glass at police support officers

A man is behind bars after assaulting two Police Community Support Officers as they tried to deal with his antisocial behaviour.

PCSOs Ashurst and Salkeld were patrolling Durham city centre on Tuesday, February 6, when they encountered a heavily intoxicated Terry Atkin drinking outside a shop in North Road.

With a Public Space Protection Order in place, prohibiting the drinking of alcohol in the area, Atkin was asked to put his can in the bin but instead the 34-year-old threw it on the ground and spat in the face of PCSO Ashurst, before disappearing into a nearby shop to steal a bottle of cider.

The officers radioed for assistance and stayed close to Atkin despite his increasingly aggressive behaviour.

On Neville Street, after being told to stop urinating against a shop door, Atkin threw the stolen bottle of cider and an empty pint glass at the officers, then attempted to enter a house further up the street.

Officers were directed to the scene within minutes and Atkin was arrested.

He was later charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, and two counts of theft.

He appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court the next day, where he was jailed for 16 weeks.