A violent thug who attacked a response officer with a metal pole, after he had already attacked his partner and kept her against her will, has been jailed.
Darren Parker, 43, of Haylett Gardens, KT1, was sentenced to four years and four months’ imprisonment at Kingston Crown Court on 7 April, having earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of actual bodily harm (ABH) against a woman, and one count of assault on an emergency worker.
Parker received four years for ABH and four months for the assault on an emergency worker. The sentences will run consecutively.
The court heard that on 31 October 2020 at 14:40hrs, police were called to reports of a domestic disturbance at an address in Haylett Gardens, Kingston.
On their way to the address, officers noticed a female in the street, visibly distressed, with significant injuries to her face and neck. They stopped and spoke to the woman.
The victim, a woman in her 30s, alleged that she had been kept overnight, against her will, in the home of Darren Parker who had repeatedly assaulted her before she eventually managed to escape.
Police attended Parker’s address where they were met by him in a highly agitated state, armed with a metal pole.
With the situation becoming more hostile, and Parker refusing to relinquish the metal pole, officers made the decision to discharge a police Taser.
However, this had no physical effect on Parker who continued to brandish the metal pole towards them.
Parker then began striking himself over the head with the pole.
At this point, officers entered the address to detain him and prevent self-inflicted injury.
While attempting to detain Parker – who continued to resist arrest, PC Andy Cougar, a response officer on the South West Command Unit, was struck over the head with the metal pole.
Parker was also verbally threatening and attempted to bite other officers in attendance.
He was eventually detained, arrested and taken to a south London police station for questioning.
Parker was charged and remanded on 1 November to appear at Kingston Crown Court on 27 November, where he pleaded guilty to the above offences.
PC Cougar and the female victim were taken to hospital for treatment of their injuries. Both were discharged later that day.
PC Cougar went back out on patrol after receiving medical treatment.
It was established that Parker had subjected the victim to multiple violent abusive episodes since 2019. The female victim continues to be supported by specially trained officers.
A restraining order has been imposed by the court to protect the victim.
PC James Driver, investigating officer, said
“Darren Parker showed extreme levels of violence over a sustained period of time leaving the victim with physical injuries and lasting mental trauma. He had no other option but to plead guilty for all matters as the evidence against him was insurmountable.
“Thanks to the victim and members of the public who came forward and provided evidence in the investigation.
“I hope that the sentence handed down brings the victim a measure of closure and that she is able to recover from the ordeal she suffered at the hands of Parker.”
PC Andy Cougar, the officer who was assaulted when trying to arrest Parker, said
“I’ll leave it to the public to imagine how terrifying it is to have to arrest a man like Parker who had a long history of violence.
“He was armed with a metal pole, high on class A drugs and two Taser activations had no effect on him.
“While arresting him, he continued to fight for several minutes, leaving me physically exhausted. I took punches to my face and head from Parker who was out of control.
“It was one of those incidents you never forget.”
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4 years 4 months is derisory. At least the sentences were consecutive but he will be out in a little over 2 years.
Here is a man with a long history of extreme violence. Given he is in his 40s, I would guess that long means decades, yet he still gets a nonsense sentence. He should be locked up for far longer, not as a punishment but as protection for the community. He has got a restraining order against him. Big deal. I bet he is terrified of that. What if he ignores it and finds this unfortunate woman and does a proper job on her? If he was locked up, this would be impossible.
Crime pays and the pay gets better every year.