Drunken man threw slates from roof

A MAN hurled slates at police officers after climbing on to the roof of a car breakers premises in Oldham.

Edward Bambrough (26) injured the owner’s daughter when one of the tiles crashed down, hitting her on the arm and the foot.

When officers arrived to try and talk him into coming down, he hurled abuse at them, and continually shouted obscenities.

Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court was told that he swore at one policem and threw a slate at him, fortunately missing him.

He threw another at a Greater Manchester Police van, and when police got close enough to attempt to bring him down, he continued to resist.

An officer had to use CS spray and his baton to subdue him.

Bambrough, of Keswick Avenue, Oldham, pleaded guilty to causing affray and being found on enclosed premises and was sentenced to nine months prison, suspended for two years.

The court was told that the incident at the breakers yard in Brompton Street last October lasted for an hour.

Closed-circuit TV captured the drama, and clearly showed Bambrough throwing tiles.

He later told police that he had drunk four cans of extra-strength lager, along with half a bottle of spirit beforehand, and remembered little of what he had done.

The court was told he had caused £1,000 worth of damage to the business premises and £300 worth of damage to the police van,

Graham Robinson, defending, said that the father of two had been in a relationship for a number of years and it had broken down in July last year.

He said: “Emotionally, he just lost it. He had had far too much to drink and recalls very little about how or why he got on to this roof.”

He also has to answer charges of common assault and causing criminal damage when he appears before Oldham Magistrates next month.

Recorder Michael Leeming said: “This was a serious piece of offending, and anyone who engages in this sort of behaviour and throws things at police officers can expect to lose their liberty.”

He said it had been extremely fortunate that no serious injury had been caused and told him that he was giving him a chance.