He assaulted a police officer during ‘quite unusual circumstances’ in an incident at the home of his new partner
A Hull man who was warned “Next time, bring a suitcase with you” – when he narrowly avoided being jailed last year – has pulled off another Houdini-style escape act in again managing to dodge a prison sentence. Richard Clabby was originally given a 14-month suspended prison sentence but he ended up back in trouble after a confrontation in which he assaulted a police officer, Hull Crown Court heard.
Clabby, 44, of Grangeside Avenue, off Inglemire Lane, Hull, admitted breaching the suspended sentence that had been imposed on January 16 last year. He admitted a new offence of assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty on September 6 this year.
Clabby had been fined £1,000 with £85 costs by Hull magistrates on September 29. The breach of the suspended sentence was referred to Hull Crown Court to be dealt with there.
Cathy Kioko-Gilligan, mitigating, said that Clabby was at his new partner’s home on the day of the assault but, while decorating work was being done, a helpline was accidentally activated and police arrived. They assumed that the woman was the ex-wife of Clabby – the person involved in the offences leading to the suspended sentence being given.
“The defendant became frustrated because the officers wouldn’t accept his explanation despite the female at the address confirming who she was on a number of occasions,” said Miss Kioko-Gilligan. “He asked for a moment to have a cigarette so he could calm down.
“That was refused. He was then handcuffed. It then turned ugly.” Clabby turned to move towards an officer to bite him but he did not do so.” Clabby was arrested. He had his own business and he was trying to get it back on its feet.
Judge John Thackray KC told Clabby: “Normally, people who assault police officers go to prison, particularly when they are subject to a suspended sentence but this is quite unusual circumstances. Should there be any further offending by you, the court will have no hesitation in activating the suspended sentence, if not in full but certainly in part.”
Clabby was fined £500. The court heard at the original hearing in January last year that Clabby admitted using threatening words or behaviour, breaching a restraining order and two offences of causing criminal damage.
There had been a history of problems between Clabby and his ex-wife and this boiled over into trouble when he angrily hurled abuse at her, caused damage at her home and threatened to kill a male friend of hers during a bad-tempered confrontation.
Clabby made menacing threats to damage the friend’s car and it was later discovered that he had ripped off both wing mirrors. A restraining order had been made on June 22, 2023 until June this year.
Clabby’s ex-wife was drinking with a male friend at the Highland Laddie pub in Southcoates Lane, Hull, on November 5, 2023 when she was telephoned to say that Clabby was at her home and was shouting and demanding to know where she was. She returned to her home in Wansbeck Road at 10pm and saw that a kitchen window had been smashed and there was damage to an outside gate.
Both of these had been caused by Clabby. He had left but he later returned and continued to behave aggressively and abusively. He continued to demand to be let in to the property.
Clabby appeared at the smashed window while his ex-wife and her male friend were inside, along with children. Clabby threatened the man: “I am going to f***ing kill you.” He called her an abusive name and continued to lash out towards her and the man.
Clabby climbed through the broken window inside the property and there was physical contact, including him ending up on the floor with his ex-wife after an argument of some sort. Children were taken upstairs.
Th defendant continued to threaten her and the friend, including threats to damage the man’s truck. The friend later discovered that both his vehicle’s wing mirrors had been pulled off.
Damage estimated at £424 had been caused. The police were alerted and Clabby was arrested. The woman later said that she was “terrified” that Clabby would come back to her home. She had been left feeling anxious.
At the original hearing, Clabby was warned that he faced being jailed if he did not comply with the terms of the suspended sentence and he was told: “Next time, bring a suitcase with you.”