By Grimsby man imprisoned after threatening police officers with kitchen knife
Grimsby man Duane Opray, 29, has been sentenced to eight months imprisonment with a requirement to serve four months at Grimsby Crown Court today.
The defendant was charged with affray after he threatened police officers with a knife during an incident last December.
At around 3.00am on the 27th December, police officers were called to a property on Little Coates Road after a complaint was made against Mr Opray.
Upon arrival, police found that the door to the property was open. The defendant was bare-chested and holding a large kitchen knife in his right hand.
Cathy Kioko-Gilligan, prosecuting, told the court today how police told Mr Opray to drop the knife when they arrived. Instead of complying, the defendant moved towards the police officer.
“Concerned and fearful, the officer drew and deployed her taser, although the taser appeared to have the requisite effect. The officer then approached the defendant who was now laying on the floor,” she said.
“However, the defendant began to lash out. He still had the knife in his hand. In fear of what may happen, the officer tasered the defendant for a second time which did not subdue him sufficiently and they retreated out of the property.”
When they were outside, police officers observed Mr Opray pick up another smaller knife and brandish it towards his own throat.
He was then tasered for a third time, and eventually became compliant enough to be arrested by police.
Andrew Bailey, defending, told the court: “There had been a family argument before police arrived. This is only of minor relevance, really, because it doesn’t excuse his behaviour, but he’d taken on board a lot of alcohol and he’d had a fairly impassioned argument with family members who were present.”
Mr Bailey went on to tell the court that the defendant was injured when police arrived. After his arrest, he was taken to hospital to be treated for a head injury.
He said: “What the defendant tells me is that he was assaulted in the house. He was knocked out, and when he came round he wasn’t really sure what was going on. That’s when he behaved as he did, when perhaps he wasn’t fully in charge of what was going on.
The defendant has a total of 27 previous convictions for 58 offences, which include violence, possession of an offensive weapon, and one instance of being in possession of a bladed article.
However, Mr Bailey told the court that Mr Opray had remained “out of trouble” for five years between 2014 and 2019.
“He has a three-year-old son, and since this happened he’s not been able to see him at all. That’s upset him a great deal. His son has been a major motivation in how he has largely improved a lot.
“He doesn’t take drugs anymore, which is another reason why he’s kept out of trouble for so long and he is tackling his drink problem. He’s reduced his drinking significantly but he certainly could do with some further assistance with that,” he said.
His Honour Judge A Nadim said: “Police officers have a very difficult job to do and when they attend in the execution of their duty, they should not be subjected to this sort of behaviour which exposes them to a certain level of threat.
“Admittedly you had taken some amount of alcohol and as a result of whatever had gone on between you and your friends, you were in a heightened state of emotion. That only served to elevate the level of risk you presented.
Taking into account Mr Opray’s guilty plea for the offence, Mr Nadim sentenced him to eight months imprisonment with a requirement to serve four months.
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