Pensioner faces police fight charge

A PENSIONER already facing charges of harassment and criminal damage has been arrested after an alleged scuffle at a parish council meeting, The Evening Star can reveal today.

Four police cars were sent to the Memorial Hall at Trimley St Martin after Suffolk police Sgt Mick Richardson called for help to arrest 80-year-old Arthur Burgess.

The alleged incident happened at the end of the meeting of Trimley St Martin Parish Council when Burgess tried to ask questions about an issue.

He was told by chairman Nigel Smith that members of the public could not join in the debate.

There had been a public question time session earlier but no points were raised.

When Burgess, of Cavendish Road, Trimley St Martin, persisted he was asked to leave the hall.

Sgt Richardson was already present to give a report to councillors on behalf of the community policing team for the Trimley villages.

A police spokeswoman said Burgess was arrested outside the Memorial Hall in High Road at about 9pm on April 5.

He was later charged with affray, assaulting a police officer, resisting a police officer and obstructing him in the course of his duty, and with harassment.

Ipswich-born Burgess was also charged two days later with a separate offence of assaulting a police officer, destroying property, and obstructing a police officer, on April 7.

He appeared before magistrates sitting at Ipswich on April 12 and the matter was adjourned until April 19.

He also faces further charges for criminal damage to a fence and harassment last year in connection with a dispute involving his neighbour Wilfred Youngs, and also charges of misusing the telecommunications system in November last year and again in January this year.

He had already appeared before magistrates in connection with these matters and is on conditional bail and cannot go into 4 Cavendish Road, Trimley St Martin. These cases are due to come before the court on April 26.