Fawley man Robert Rayment 'violently struggled' against Hampshire police officer during raid

A FAWLEY man who tried to headbutt and bite police officers while "growling" at them was admonished by a judge for his behaviour.

Robert Rayment (50), landed himself before Southampton Crown Court because he "violently struggled" against police when they executed a warrant at his Seashells Close property.

A number of officers used force to get into his home, prosecutor Nicholas Hall said, amid Rayment trying to stop them and hurling "vulgar insults".

"He was shouting ‘Hold on you f***ing p****’," Mr Hall outlined, adding Rayment was taken to the floor, where he began "growling" at police before aiming his head at PC Burrows’ leg.

While no contact was made or injury done to the officer, the raid came during the second national lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic and caused the officer concerns, Mr Hall outlined.

Rayment pleaded guilty to common assault of an emergency officer, and the court heard he had an extensive criminal history, having been convicted of more than 80 offences.

His criminal past included violence and dishonesty, and a spent offence of arson endangering life – for which he was convicted in 1995 and sentenced to seven years' jail.

But his barrister, David Freeland, claimed the "frequency" of Rayment’s offending had slowed in recent years and been less serious.

Judge Nicholas Rowland gave Rayment a 12-month community order and told him to do 120 hours of unpaid work, admonishing him for his behaviour.

"It was an unpleasant struggle; police officers are public servants and do an extremely difficult job at the best of times, let alone in the extraordinary circumstances of the past year or so.

"The last thing they need is someone like you struggling violently when all they are doing is their public duty.

"Do not behave in this disgraceful fashion again towards public servants."