A 32-year-old man went before Magistrates’ Court this morning to admit charges of violently resisting arrest, damaging police property and speeding offences.

During proceedings, Randall Hall was also ordered to immediately pay an outstanding $1,500 fine from a 2012 trespassing and assault conviction, or else go to jail.

The court heard that on Wednesday afternoon this week, police officers in Lighthouse Hill, St David’s, spotted Hall, of no fixed address, sitting on a wall and trying to conceal a bottle of Guinness.

After speaking with the defendant about drinking alcohol in a public place, the officers discovered he had an outstanding warrant for two traffic incidents dating back to last year.

As they attempted to arrest Hall, he resisted by flailing his arms in a violent manner and shouting “I’m not going anywhere”.

It eventually took five officers to bring the defendant to the ground and handcuff him. However, as the officers tried to put Hall in the police van, he broke free, smashing a lamp on the vehicle in the melee.

In court, Hall claimed he started “freaking out” due to excessive force being used by the officers, adding: “I was complying before all this stuff happened.”

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo challenged Hall about a previous incident in which he damaged police property, by flooding a holding cell in 2008.

The defendant responded: “I was drunk and acting crazy.”

Mr Hall was ordered to pay $300 for violently resisting arrest and $270 to replace the broken lamp by December 31.

The court also heard that Hall was caught speeding in May and July 2014, travelling at 59km/h and 61km/h respectively, and both times without a valid driving licence.

The defendant pleaded guilty to all four traffic offences and was ordered to pay fines totalling $700 by December 31, with 23 points added to his licence.

Mr Tokunbo then pressed Hall over a 2012 conviction, in which he was ordered to pay $500 for trespassing and $1,000 for assault.

He dismissed the defendant’s claim that the outstanding fines had not been paid due to a miscommunication, and warned him that unless he was able to wipe out his $1,500 debt on the day, he would face 50 days in prison.

Hall, who said he was self-employed by “doing whatever jobs I’m able to find”, asked for more time to pay, to which Magistrate Tokunbo responded: “You’ve had since 2012.”

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