Sunderland man threatened to self-harm after arrest over incident outside Gatsby

A transport worker threatened to “smash his head off a desk” in a police station after his arrest for being drunk and disorderly.

Kieron Gilbert, 29, of Gardiner Road, Grindon, Sunderland, made the bizarre remark in telling officers he would self-harm if he did not “get his own way”.

He had been detained after being seen throwing a punch at a man outside the Gatsby watering hole in city centre Derwent Street on Saturday, June 17.

Prosecutor Lesley Burgess said: “On the evening, police officers describe being in the city centre, just outside the public house.

“They saw the defendant, who was clearly intoxicated, going on with someone else, and they saw him throw a punch. They could smell drink.

“He became abusive to the police officers, and thereafter was arrested for being drunk and disorderly. His behaviour continued when he went to the police station. 

“He said, ‘If I don’t get my own way, I’m going to smash my head off the desk’.”

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, Gilbert pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

He has four previous convictions from six offences, including two – in 2011 and 2021 – for public order offences.

Gilbert, who works for a transport firm, defended himself in court and said only that he wished to apologise for his behaviour.

Magistrates told him he was doing well in his job and needed to stop getting himself into trouble so as to prevent it impacting on his career.

They fined him £130, with £85 court costs and a £52 victim surcharge.