A YOUNG man grieving the loss of a friend has been fined for pushing a police officer while drunk.

Liam Randall, 23, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker – but his solicitor suggested that in a bygone era the officer might have reacted in a different way and not arrested him.

Defending at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday (February 15), Neil Catherall stressed the “assault” was simply a push to the chest rather than a punch.

“In the old days he might just have been pushed back by the officer,” he added.

Prosecuting, Natalie Cassidy said police had originally been called to the area of the canal at Steam Mill Street, where Randall lives, at 3.20am on January 12 this year.

Concerned neighbours had reported a man shouting and swearing and feared he may wish to do himself harm.

Officers found him highly agitated and when one tried to move him away from the canal he pushed him in the chest.

Randall, who works at Cheshire Outdoors near Northwich, was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and assaulting an emergency worker, and later admitted both offences.

Mr Catherall said the defendant was very sorry for his actions and had been “self-medicating” with drink after a close friend died. He had now thrown himself into raising money for charity.

“He has been wrestling with some demons as a result of losing his friend,” Mr Catherall said.

Magistrates chose to fine Randall £80 and also ordered him to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30.

The court heard the defendant, of Granary Wharf, Steam Mill Street, has two previous convictions for damaging property and common assault a number of years ago.

* The Government recently introduced new legislation called the Assaults on Emergency Workers Act 2018.

It brings tougher sentences for anyone who attacks police officers, prison officers, custody officers, fire service personnel, search and rescue services and paramedics.

Statistics show there has been an increase in assaults on emergency workers in recent years, with 26,000 assaults on police officers last year and over 17,000 on NHS staff.

Assaults on prison officers rose by 70 per cent in the three years to 2017, with an 18 per cent increase experienced by firefighters in the past two years.

A new law doubles the maximum sentence from six to 12 months in prison for assaulting an emergency worker.