Sunderland man who once worked for TV chef Gordon Ramsay assaulted two police officers

Mark Hood, 44, had fallen out with residents at Salvation Army hostel Swan Lodge, in Sunderland, when he attacked police, South Tyneside magistrates heard.

Prosecutor Paul Anderson said: “There is a common theme that runs through these offences and that is intoxication.”

The court heard he was first arrested for criminal damage, on January 25, when he damaged a windscreen wiper on a police car.

Mr Anderson said: “He seems to think he has fallen asleep on the bonnet of the car and this has damaged the wiper.

“The more serious case is the assault.

“Police attend Swan Lodge on January 30. The defendant is very drunk.

“Inexplicably, he climbs inside the back of the police vehicle.

“He is told to get back out and he climbs out after giving abuse to police.

“He is offered assistance from one of the officers and his response to that is to swing a punch at him. That, fortunately misses the officer, but is still and assault.

“The other officer steps in and he tries to headbutt him, but because of his condition he misses, this is also still an assault.”

The court heard how during the struggle, Hood was struck by one of the officers.

In his police interview he said he had fallen out with a number of residents at Swan Lodge prior to the incident.

He added: “I was just drunk.”

Hood, of North Bridge Street, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a police officer and criminal damage.

Chris Wilson, defending, said: “Mr Hood has spent a number of years struggling with alcohol.

“He lost his job. He was a chef for Gordon Ramsay.

“Having returned to the North East, family members passed away and alcohol became his coping mechanism. That’s affected his behaviour.”

He will be sentenced after his suitability for alcohol rehabilitation has been assessed.