Man assaults hotel manager and damages police van in custody

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 5 Nov, 17:40 · Archive

Benjamin Athersmith assaulted a hotel manager at a Barrow Holiday Inn on the anniversary of his grandmother's death.

Benjamin Athersmith assaulted a hotel manager at the Holiday Inn in Barrow town centre on 10 September. The prosecutor told South Cumbria Magistrates' Court that Athersmith entered one of the bedrooms, and when staff alerted the manager, he was told to leave. Athersmith went into the bathroom screaming and shouting, then pushed a hanging light towards the manager when departing. He then threw a table, plant pot and stone towards the window outside the hotel.

When arrested, Athersmith became aggressive and threatening towards officers. In the police van he spat on the floor three times. In his cell he threw food against the wall. Cumbria Constabulary spent £174 cleaning both the van and the cell. The 34-year-old, of Harrison Street, Barrow, pleaded guilty to common assault, two counts of criminal damage and using threatening words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

His solicitor said in mitigation that Athersmith had previously struggled with alcohol. On this occasion he had drunk more than he anticipated. His alcohol monitoring tag had recently been removed, and the date coincided with the anniversary of his grandmother's death.

How it is being reported

• Hotel manager assaulted by grieving man who later threw noodles in police cellA GRIEVING man was 'out of control’ as he assaulted a hotel manager before damaging a police van and cell on the anniversary of the death of his grandmother, a court heard.Cumberland News · 5 Nov, 17:11
• Hotel manager assaulted by grieving man who later threw noodles in police cellA GRIEVING man was 'out of control’ as he assaulted a hotel manager before damaging a police van and cell on the anniversary of the death of his grandmother, a court heard.NW Evening Mail · 5 Nov, 12:00

In this story: Benjamin Athersmith · Cumbria Constabulary · Holiday Inn · Barrow · South Cumbria Magistrates' Court

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