Three police officers who were "clawed" and assaulted during a routine checkpoint stop will see the offender spend more than a year behind bars.
Edward Desmond Waihape appeared in Napier District Court yesterday and was sentenced to 18 months in jail by Judge Geoff Rea, after pleading guilty to three counts of assaulting police, resisting arrest and driving while intoxicated.
On August 7, this year, Waihape was stopped by police on Scully Cres in Napier for a routine vehicle and driver check. Waihape failed his first breath alcohol test and was required to accompany police and undergo further assessment.
"Once in the police car you became unco-operative and aggressive, pushing [police officers] out of the way," Judge Rea said.
"You resisted and assaulted a third police officer, clawing him with your finger nails. You made quite a mess of him."