A grandfather who guzzled four cans of Guinness in an hour before kicking down his front door, assaulting family members and punching two police officers has been spared jail.

Derek Taylor had a violent outburst after finding out his partner’s children had been allowed to see their biological father without him knowing.

Taylor pushed past his partner of five years and shoved a teenage girl into a radiator during a heated argument, Lewes Crown Court heard.

Two police officers were called to the incident on November 12 last year. The 58-year-old punched them both repeatedly in the head and only stopped when they pepper sprayed him.

Taylor, who has two grandchildren, has already avoided prison twice, with two suspended sentences for battery and ABH against the same former partner and a next door neighbour.

For the battery conviction in October 2022, he received 12 weeks in prison suspended for two years, meaning he breached his suspended sentence.

This time Judge David Rennie gave him another chance and sentenced him to four months in prison suspended for two years.

At around midday on November 12, Taylor found out that his partner’s children’s biological father was visiting to watch one of them in a remembrance parade.

The Argus: Brighton Magistrates Court where Taylor was sentencedBrighton Magistrates Court where Taylor was sentenced (Image: Supplied)

The court heard that he drank four cans of Guinness in one hour and his partner believed he went to the pub before coming back to the home in Marsden Road, Eastbourne, at around 5.30pm.

Taylor, now of Midmoore Road, Balham, London, got in an argument with his partner and pushed past her before shoving a girl into a radiator. The girl suffered a bruised hip while his partner was not injured.

The family called 999 and Taylor left the house. The court heard that he walked away a few paces before punching through a glass panel and then came back and “kicked the door in”.

When the two police officers arrived Taylor was not at the house. But he returned and punched both with “no provocation” in an attack that lasted for around 90 seconds, the court heard.

Sarah Thorne, prosecuting, said the incident “must have been very distressing for those who witnessed it”.

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Rosalind Crook, defending, said: “I would like to start by apologising for what happened on this day, he had been drinking, he felt disrespected that he was not told that the children were having a day out with their father.

“It should not have happened and he knows it was wrong.”

Ms Crook said Taylor recognised alcohol and violence “are problems in his life”.

He pleaded guilty to two offences of assault by beating, using violence to secure entry to a premises, criminal damage and two offences of assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Taylor, wearing a green bomber jacket in the dock, said: “I am very sorry for what has happened, we thought we had a good relationship but we clearly didn’t.

“I just wanted to get out of the house. I apologised at the police station.”

Judge Rennie said: “You seem to have great trouble treating people with respect. Your partner, children and the police.”

Taylor was sentenced to four months in prison suspended for two years.

Judge Rennie said not sending him to prison allowed him to do 120 hours unpaid work and undertake rehabilitation days to address his drinking problem and violent outbursts.

Taylor must pay £250 compensation to each police officer and £425 court costs. He was given a five-year restraining order preventing him from contacting his former partner.