A Sandown man who has appeared before the courts no less than 16 times has been fined following his latest appearance after shouting homophobic abuse at Police.
Anthony Serjent, 43, of Fort Street, appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court this morning (Tuesday) charged with using threatening/abusive words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm and distress.
The court heard from prosecutor Rhys Evans that Serjent was arrested on 28th February this year for matters which never made it to a charge. It was during this arrest that he shouted homophobic abuse at a female officer, calling her a lesbian and a dyke. Serjent also shouted ‘benders’ at other officers and stated the Police is the ‘bender brigade’.
A victim statement from one of the Police officers stated she felt Serjent’s actions were vindictive and spiteful. The court heard he was intoxicated at the time.
Mr Evans highlighted that Serjent, with 16 previous convictions for 33 offences, committed the offence whilst on a community order – issued on 19th January this year.
Defending, Henry Farley said that his client was angry that he had been arrested as he believed to have been the one assaulted. Mr Farley made clear that Serjent was in the Police van when the abuse was shouted and therefore posed no risk to anyone.
In sentencing, Magistrates told Serjent:
“You must stop using such nasty language. It isn’t acceptable to behave like you are”.
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to which he replied:
“I’m not homophobic or racist”.
Magistrates fined Anthony Serjent £80 and ordered him to pay £85 costs with a £34 surcharge, but allowed the community order to continue as is.
so the matters he was arrested for never made it to charge, but the police were so upset at being called names, they spent a lot of time making sure that his name calling did get to court.
meanwhile, drug and burglary offences soar, road crashes are daily occurrences, shoplifting is rife and drunks cause issues daily, but police are slow to act, if at all.
priorities aren’t right with the police these days.
Some of the police on the island embellish the facts and actually lie on reports and on oath in court. I myself have been accused of beating police officers when all I did was palm a PC’s finger away from my face when they were practically touching my nose! After that they screamed “assault!” and made up several lies. For what? Because I dared to walk away from one of them when they confronted me about a matter I wasn’t even involved in! They really can show themselves to be unbelievable jobsworth bullies with badges and once you’re in their ‘firing line’ there’s not much you can do.
Good job the police captured this dangerous man.. using horrible nasty words like that… I mean forget all about the rapists and murderers and paedophiles roaming free.. let’s throw the book at someone for……………. Shouting..
How evil is he, calling people names when there are more of them than him, he must have frightened the poor police
I wonder what he wants to be when he grows up?
THIS is a prime example of just how Woke and Snowflake the so-called Officers responsible for Law Enforcement have become!
How dare someone say ‘hurty words’!
Hampshire Constabulary, AND Police Forces across the whole country need to get a grip!
Combat REAL crime, and maybe, just MAYBE, the public at large might have some confidence in your crime fighting abilities!!
I ask is there food for thought if the word bender is shortened to four letters
Welcome to the no joke society
Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me?
A Fort Street resident. The place where the homeless live no doubt.
Why are these scum bags so ungrateful. If they weren’t in this shelter, they would be living rough on the streets. These people take so much resource time from various authorities. Pain in the ass this bloke. Grow up.
I was called a lazy bum at work yesterday if I called the police would they arrest my work friends?
They would – but you’re probably too lazy to call the police 😉
lol
Aww poor ickle wickle snowflake police popsy wopsy’s, bless em. Get a f***ing grip PLEASE!
Bender?
Hilarious. Oh, the seventies phoned, they want their slang words back.
Perhaps the seventies would like “woke and snowflake” to bulk up their dictionary? Thrown around with “gay” abandon(as in happy”! On Island echo without any real grasp of what they mean or if in fact anybody really cares? But it sounds cool so give it a whirl…. And totally agree with 80%of comments on here about “better things to do blah blurb” but bet you a “pound to a penny” sixties decade having a, say in the conversation”they are already known to the police for some of the charges peeps want police to concentrate on “drugs/alcohol etc” only ever get a small % of real truth especially on Island Echo… Still it gives all the keyboard warriors a good workout
People should be able to go about their lives and do their jobs without being subjected to abuse, especially targeted abuse and harassment directed at their identity, whether real or perceived. I’m saddened by the comments here: the Isle of Wight has a long way to go.
The word Fanny offends me profusely. Please get in contact so I can make a complaint.
what an absolute bounder! pip pip tally ho!
classic I.o.w. police force, assrest someone for a non crime, then invent one. no fear or violence from someone in cuts in a police van. and I’m sure it’s not an offence to use the term bender.
just imagine all the hours spent on this paper work and the courts, that we paid for, while real crime is being committed.