Tyneside teen chef served 'swift summary justice' after being punched by officer he spat on

A teenage chef was served some "swift summary justice" when he was punced by the officer he'd spat on. Finley Messenger had been out drinking in Newcastle City Centre with colleagues from the Anson pub, in Wallsend , when he got separated and decided to try and get home. After the 18-year-old made unsuccessful attempts to get a taxi back to Battle Hill, he started walking but was stopped by police when he reached the Central Motorway, a court was told.

Due to his aggressive behaviour, Messenger was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and taken to Forth Banks Police Station.

However, once inside a cell he began acting "like a toddler" by kicking and screaming and lying on the floor, magistrates heard. When officers opened the door and told Messenger to step back, he turned and spat in the face of one of them, prosecutors said. But Messenger immediately lived to regret his actions as the victim punched him to the side of the head, CCTV footage, which was shown to the court, showed.

After being released from custody, Messenger went to hospital suffering from suspected concussion but medical checks showed no damage had been caused. Now, Messenger, of Bathgate Close, in Battle Hill, near Wallsend, has been fined £233 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £25 compensation after he pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker during a hearing at Newcastle Magistrates' Court. Jeff Smith, prosecuting, said Messenger was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in the early hours of March 15 this year.

Mr Smith added: "

The defendant was drunk and obstructive. "

While in a cell, he purposefully activated the alarm, kicked the doors, lay on the ground and screamed in the officers' faces. He stood at the doorway and repeatedly approached the door, despite verbal instructions to step back. "

The officers tried to calm him down. He spat directly into the face of one officer. He felt droplets of spital enter his mouth and eyes." In a statement, the victim said: ”

This, initially, was a low-level drunk and disorderly job. "

He acted in a childish manner throughout and behaved like a toddler not a fully-grown man." Michael Gibson, defending, showed footage to the court of the incident, which captured the victim striking Messenger seconds after being spat on. Mr Gibson said: ”

The officer punched him after he spat. It was a bit of swift summary justice. He went to hospital with concussion from that punch.

He believes he was knocked out." Did you know you can make ChronicleLive a preferred source of North East news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here's more information about what this means and how to do it - you can also do it straight away by clicking here .

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