Jail for offender who attacked police officer during drug search arrest

Monday 30 January 2023

A 26-year-old offender who attacked a police officer as she tried to arrest him on suspicion of carrying drugs - leaving her with injuries and a limp - has been sent to jail.

Jared Roy Westrupp was sentenced to seven-and-a-half months' imprisonment in the Magistrate's Court last week after the assault just after 01:00 on 13 November 2022.

Prosecuting, Advocate Luke Sette explained that Westrupp, who was with two other men, gestured at two officers on patrol at the time with one finger up.

One of the officers who went to speak to him "suspected that he was under the influence of a substance" as "his pupils were dilated" and his speech was "extremely slurred".

When she said she was going to search him for drugs he tried to run off, but got only two metres before falling to the ground.

The officer went to arrest him but he clamped his legs hard around her leg, leaving her with pain in one knee and damage to ligaments.

"She was put on light duties when she returned to work on 18 November, and walked with a limp," Advocate Sette said.

Westrupp pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and obstructing an officer. He had been due to attend court on 12 January but failed to appear, and admitted the additional offence of failing to surrender to the court.

Advocate Sette added that Westrupp had previous convictions for grave and criminal assault, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He had been given two probation orders and a community service orders for the past offences but had breached them all.

Defending, Advocate Olaf Blakeley asked for another probation order.

He described Westrupp as someone who "comes across as a genuine, polite young man" and someone who "obviously struggles in life", adding that he "suffers from seizures and back pain".

Advocate Blakeley argued that "custody is not appropriate for him".

But Magistrate Bridget Shaw said "custody is inevitable", stating that she did not think it "realistic" that Westrupp would comply with a probation order. She also said she did not think him suitable for community service.

"These are serious matters and you do have previous convictions. You are not a person of good character."

She sentenced him to seven months for assaulting a police officer and two months for obstructing an officer, to run concurrently, plus an additional two weeks for failing to attend court.

The Magistrate also banned Westrupp from licensed premises for 18 months and ordered him to pay £59 in compensation to the officer he injured, but added: "If you had the means I would be making a significant order."