Man assaulted police officers after machete attack

A robber who threatened an elderly man with a machete before assaulting him while high on drink and drugs has been given a suspended sentence.

Christopher Irish, 34, attacked the man in the East Bowling area of Bradford on 1 April after demanding he hand over his mobile phone.

Bradford Crown Court heard how he went on to assault three police officers and smash the window of a police van.

Irish, from Bradford, was given a 22 month sentence, suspended for 18 months, after he pleaded guilty charges of robbery, possessing an offensive weapon, criminal damage, theft, actual bodily harm and three counts of assault by beating an emergency worker.

Fuad Ashad, on behalf of Irish, told the court: "The conduct on 1 April was very much out of character for this defendant.

"It was a consequence of the drugs he had taken and the alcohol he had consumed.

"He was going through a difficult patch and, in order to deal with his emotional difficulties, sadly like to many people, he relied on alcohol and drugs to get through."

Passing sentence judge Kirsty Watson said whilst Mr Irish posed a risk to the public it was "not a significant risk", saying there was a "realistic" prospect of him being rehabilitated in the community.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.