A Swindon man has been sentenced after admitting to possessing drugs, assaulting a police officer and stealing a car.
The sentencing reflects two separate incidents involving Lee Johnson (40), Ermin Street, Swindon which took place in the town in June:
On 6 June officers attended an address on Covingham Drive following reports of a disturbance. Lee Johnson was at the address and attempted to run from officers, however they managed to stop and arrest him on suspicion of earlier taking a car without consent. During the arrest Johnson assaulted one of our officers who received minor injuries.
Then, during the evening of 30 June – officers were patrolling Dorcan Way when they noticed two men acting suspiciously. Lee Johnson was one of these. As both were acting suspiciously one of police officers carried out a stop and search. This resulted in a metal baton being found in Johnson’s bag, for which he was arrested, and then on the way to the police station he was found to be in possession of two small bags of herbal cannabis and one bag of cannabis resin.
In relation to the first incident – Johnson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months and was ordered to take part in a drug rehabilitation programme, adhere to a restraining order stopping him from going near an address on Covingham Drive and was disqualified from driving for 18 months. He also had to pay compensation to the injured officer.
In the second incident, Johnson also pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and possession of cannabis; he was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months and ordered to take part in a drug rehabilitation programme.
The sentencing took place at Swindon Magistrates Court on 13/07.
The officer who made the stop and search on 30 June was PC Michael Porter, he said: “This was a good result and this incident is a good example of how useful Stop and Search can be when an officer suspects something illegal is about to or has taken place.
“Being able to use these powers in this case means a potentially dangerous weapon has been taken off the streets of Swindon.”
