Published at 16:51, Friday, 30 November 2012

A FATHER-OF-THREE has been fined for obstructing police during an armed siege.

STUART LEE CRAWFORD (26) from Millom pleaded guilty to obstructing a police officer. Thursday 29th November 2012. HARRY ATKINSON REF: 50041760B001.JPG

By Will Metcalfe

Stuart Lee Crawford pleaded guilty to obstructing a police officer when he appeared at Furness Magistrates’ Court, yesterday.

On August 7 this year police were called to an address in Lord Street, Millom, where Keith Bibby had threatened to kill himself with a crossbow. Bibby had also threatened to shoot police officers if they approached him.

Police, firearms officers and dog handlers secured the scene and cordoned off an area around Lord Street, where a crowd of up to 40 people had gathered.

Crawford, of Albert Street, Millom, was sat on the wall of a house in King Street with two other men, directly in the line of fire when they were told to get down by a PC Jones.

The court heard the men, one of whom was Crawford, treated the warning as a joke.

They were told if they didn’t move they would be arrested and PC Jones moved back to his position.

Soon after, a police dog handler was having difficulty controlling his dog and a man with a small dog was spotted, along with the three males back on the wall.

The men were told to get down or they would be arrested but Crawford said “You can’t arrest me, I’m in my own premises.”

PC Jones told them: “You’re putting my life at risk and putting the lives of firearms officers at risk.”

Crawford continued to challenge his authority before PC Jones entered the yard to find himself surrounded by three men. Crawford, who is 6ft 2in, puffed up his chest and PC Jones threatened Crawford with a Taser before ordering him to put on handcuffs.

Mr Trystan Roberts, defending, said: “What this defendant has done is climb onto a wall to see what was happening.

“He couldn’t see the man (with the crossbow) so he didn’t consider the risk.”

Mrs Jacqui Barnfield, presiding magistrate, said: “You were not only a risk to yourself but also to the police officers involved in the incident.”

Crawford, 26, was fined £150 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk