Burnley man Liam Taggart has sentence hearing adjourned in Preston Crown Court assault case
A thug alleged to have broken a policeman’s finger has had his sentence hearing put off until June because a judge wants proof of the officer’s injury.
Liam Taggart had expected to hear his fate at Preston Crown Court this week after pleading guilty to two counts of assaulting emergency workers and two of assault causing actual bodily harm.
But Recorder Anna Price refused to pass sentence on the 40-year-old because police body-worn camera footage taken at the time of the incident was not available in court and no medical evidence had been provided by the prosecution, despite suggestions the officer may have had to undergo surgery and have the bone pinned.
Barrister Kate Bramall, representing Taggart, of Villiers Street, Burnley, opposed the adjournment which will mean a further 10 weeks in custody for her client on remand.
She urged the judge to decide the case without delay saying: “Mr Taggart wants to be sentenced as soon as possible.”
But Recorder Price said that evidence of the extent of the finger injury was essential before any judge could decide the level of punishment handed down to Taggart.
She said she was putting the case off for a doctor’s report after it had been suggested the injured police officer may have already suffered a broken finger prior to the incident.
“I need clarification,” she said. “A judge cannot sentence without knowing the extent of the police officer’s injuries. It is important that we know what injuries were sustained in this incident.”
She explained that June 2nd was the first date the sentence hearing could be fitted into the court schedule. And she added: “I appreciate that it is not ideal for Mr Taggart. I appreciate you want to know your fate. But the earliest date is June 2nd.
“It seems to me that if there is no medical evidence by June 2nd we will have to proceed in the defendant’s favour.”
The prosecution said the bodycam footage was also essential because it had been suggested the injured officer had been heard to say he had already had a broken finger and it was important to ascertain whether that was the same finger injured by Taggart.