James Badland to spend 54 weeks in prison after attacking police

James Badland, 28 of Croft Road in Nuneaton, received two consecutive sentences of 50 weeks and four weeks for two different sets of charges involving the assault of police officers.

Both sentences were delivered at Warwick Crown Court on 6 August.

The first incident took place on Monday 12 April 2024 at a pub on Watling Street in Atherstone. Badland had been asked to leave the premises but refused to do so, after which a member of staff called the police for assistance as they said that Badland was becoming aggressive. 

On arrival of the officers, Badland was abusive towards them, and began making threats.

When the officers were making an arrest for drunk and disorderly behaviour, Badland became aggressive, tried to grab hold of one of the officers, and spat at them.

For the charges of assault by beating of an emergency worker and common assault of an emergency worker, Badland was sentenced to four weeks in prison and ordered to pay a victims’ surcharge of £187.

On Sunday 28 April at around 3pm, a call was made from a service station on Central Avenue in Nuneaton by a man who reported that he had been attacked by three men.

On review of the CCTV footage, Badland was identified as being present, chasing the victim around the shop with a silver baseball bat, and participating in the assault by attempting to hit the victim with the bat.

On Thursday 16 May, Nuneaton Safer Neighbourhood Team officers attended an address on Croft Road for an unrelated matter.

Three males had barricaded themselves inside the property, one of whom was identified as James Badland.

After some negotiation, Badland agreed to exit the property through the rear door. In the back garden, when the officers asked Badland to come with them, he insisted that he wanted to have a cigarette before he was handcuffed and attempted to move back into the house.

When the officers attempted to prevent this, Badland grabbed his hand and pushed him. He was then restrained and arrested.

Badland kicked out at the officers, connecting with three of the officers at the scene. He was PAVA sprayed and taken to the front of the house.

While waiting for the arrival of the police transport van, Badland kicked out again, striking another officer.

For charges of affray, four counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker, and one count of threatening a person with an offensive weapon in public, Badlands received 50 weeks in prison along with a victims’ surcharge of £187.

Chief Constable Debbie Tedds said “Badlands, on several occasions, showed a complete disregard to our officers who have the same right as anyone else to not be assaulted or attacked while carrying out their job.

“I would like to pass my thanks on to our officers who have done their utmost to protect our communities and have often put themselves in harm’s way to do so.”