Brighton yob Liam Cottingham jailed for throwing beer over PC

Liam Cottingham was drunk when police were called to Brighton beach over a separate incident.

The officers were attempting to speak with a young woman who wanted to drown herself, and told him to step away.

But the 20-year-old was showing off in front of his friends.

“I’m going to punch one of them in the face,” he boasted.

When PC Elaine Benson challenged him over the remark, he threw the contents of a plastic beer glass over her face.

Lewes Crown Court heard how Cottingham was previously given a suspended sentence in March over separate incidents.

Lewes Crown Court.

His Honour Judge Stephen Mooney said the defendant had shown “rank stupidity” and jailed him for 22 months.

Christopher Prior, prosecuting, said the incident happened near the Brighton Music Hall at the beach in February this year.

After Cottingham failed to turn up to court, police went to arrest him and found cannabis in his room.

Previously The Argus revealed how the defendant had attended an anti-lockdown demonstration on Brighton beach, and shoved a police officer after leaving his beer behind a police cordon.

He was also in breach of a suspended sentence for affray, where he had made threats to kill staff at a YMCA residence.

Liam Cottingham admitted assaulting an emergency worker by throwing beer over PC Elaine Benson at Brighton beach

Cottingham broke out of a headlock that he was put in when he refused to calm down and grabbed victim Arnold Jenkins by the throat.

Later he told the YMCA worker: “I’m going to slice your throat.”

He kicked and punched a wall so hard that it left holes in it, and then hurled a fire extinguisher at a window before brandishing a shard of glass in his hand.

Terrified staff had barricaded themselves in an office.

When arrested by police he shouted: “If I come back here, I will slit all of your throats.”

Kevin Light, defending, said his client regretted his behaviour. He had been talking with the young woman in distress and was told to leave the area at Brighton beach by police.

Liam Cottingham admitted assaulting an emergency worker by throwing beer over PC Elaine Benson at Brighton beach

It was accepted that Cottingham was drunk and became upset with the police.

But Mr Light said his client has the ability to behave well, volunteering with the Martlets and attempting to coach football with a desire to better himself.

But Judge Mooney said: “You have been given chance after chance after chance. You have to take responsibility for your actions.

“You deliberately, and I have no idea why, confronted the police officer. Maybe it was out of rank stupidity, perhaps permeated through alcohol.

“The police were doing their best in difficult circumstances, and you behaved in the most atrocious way.”

Cottingham, of Kings Road, Brighton, admitted assaulting an emergency worker and is now behind bars.

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