Woolpit man disarmed by Tazer threat

A man, who assaulted his father and armed himself with two knives, was brought under control when a police officer drew his Tazer gun, a court heard.

Steven William Gooden, 24, of Wrights Way, Woolpit, pleaded guilty to assault by beating, possessing an offensive weapon in public and using threatening words or behaviour to cause fear of violence or to provoke violence, when he appeared at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Gooden received a six month community order with supervision and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Prosecuting, Ian Devine said Gooden was ‘very drunk and argumentative’ on the night of November 30 and assaulted his father after returning to the family home.

His mother took refuge at a neighbour’s house and his father eventually locked himself in a nearby property, which Gooden attempted to gain entry to, said Mr Devine.

Gooden then pushed a knife through the letter box saying words to the effect of ‘my dad’s got to die’, he added.

Gooden dropped another knife he had been holding after a Tazer gun’s red dot was aimed at his bare chest.

In mitigation, Claire Lockwood said an argument between father and son started after Gooden, who was due to be collected from Elmswell train station, fell asleep on the train and needed collecting from Bury.

She said the ‘tussle’ at home started when Gooden’s father took a ‘pre-emptive strike’ at him.

Mrs Lockwood said Gooden had to take regular medication following open heart surgery and had not realised what affect that had had on him until this incident, but he was now on anti-depressants and had arranged to start counselling.

The court was told that Gooden recognised a need to communicate his thoughts and feelings more satisfactorily, ‘particularly with his health and its hold on his life’.