A repeat offender who was pepper-sprayed when he assaulted a police officer has been warned by a magistrate to change his ways.

Senior magistrate Juan Wolffe told 55-year-old Marvin Woolridge: “You are not a spring chicken any more,”

He added: “I was your lawyer at one time. When I was a policeman, I arrested you. I became a prosecutor, I prosecuted you.

Mr Wolffe was speaking as he sentenced Woolridge for a string of offences at Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Woolridge, from St George’s, admitted assaulting a police officer in August last year.

Woolridge, who had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge, changed his plea.

The court heard that police had gone to serve warrants on Woolridge in Devonshire, but he ran away.

Mr Wolffe heard that Woolridge was caught by an officer, but put up a struggle and had to be pepper-sprayed.

Woolridge also pleaded guilty to stealing two pullout canopies from Masters valued at $129 each, one in June last year and the other in July.

The defendant also admitted the theft of two boxes of chicken legs from Dunkley’s Dairy in Devonshire last August.

Mr Wolffe said that, given Woolridge’s record, a prison sentence would have to be imposed.

Woolridge was sentenced to 30 days in jail for each offence, but Mr Wolffe ordered that the sentences should be served concurrently.

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