Doh! Simpsons gag leads to jail

ALCOHOL, frustration and the Simpsons led Shaun Higgs to punch a police officer in the head.

Higgs, 23, of no fixed abode, was jailed for six weeks after he admitted causing criminal damage and assaulting a police officer.

Stephen Colman, prosecuting, told South East Suffolk Magistrates Court that Higgs went to the house of ex-girlfriend Marie Brill in Ipswich's Kingston Road, saying he wanted to talk.

But while he was in Ms Brill's living room, an argument broke out in which Higgs was compared to a character in the Simpsons television programme.

Mr Colman said: "A reference was made to Mr Higgs' character, that it was like someone on the Simpsons show.

"Higgs grabbed his coat and then grabbed an ornament on the table. Some CDs and a plant pot on the table went flying. Higgs was then forced out the house, but he smashed the plant pot and the ornament on the step."

The police were called and Higgs was put in the police car. But on the journey, Higgs kept taking out his anger on the passenger seat.

Pc Firman tried to calm Higgs down – but was punched in the head.

Charles Riddleston, mitigating, said that drink had had a large part to play in the incident.

He said: "He had been drinking too much. It is not an excuse, but it is the reason. That sparked off his behaviour.

"His anger was not directed to the officer, it was just his general frustration."

Pc Firman suffered no more than a lump on the head in the incident, which occurred on May 6.

Chairwoman of the bench Jacqueline Holmes said: "Assaulting a police officer is an extremely serious offence and this is aggravated by the fact that there was an injury. You showed no respect for Pc Firman's authority."

Higgs was yesterday sentenced to six weeks in prison for assaulting a police officer, one week for causing about £30 worth of criminal damage and one week for missing an earlier bail date. The sentences will run concurrently.