A lout who vandalised nine police vehicles plus a council disabled toilet could have put lives at risk, a senior police officer has said.
Aaron Rowe, 36, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 24 weeks at North Cheshire Magistrates’ Court in Warrington on Friday, May 13, for a litany of offences.
Rowe admitted: threatening behaviour towards a woman in Widnes on March 11, two separate assaults by beating against two men on May 11 in Widnes, criminal damage to the ceiling of a Halton Borough Council disabled toilet on May 11, criminal damage towards nine police vehicles in Runcorn and a supervision breach.
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Court papers said the crime spree was “so serious” due to being committed while on licence, a domestic offence, assaulting people at work, and because of his previous criminal record.
Rowe's actions have been condemned by Cheshire Police as a risk to the public.
Chief Inspector Andy Blizard, of Runcorn Local Policing, said: “Any attack on a police vehicle is not acceptable.
“This incident could have put vital vehicles out of action, leaving patrols unable to get to incidents, which could have been the difference between life or death.
“Luckily, on this occasion, the damage to the vehicles had no impact on our response times to emergencies across Runcorn and we were able to get the cars back on the network quickly.
“I hope this sentence makes people think twice about committing these mindless acts of vandalism and also ask themselves how they would feel if they needed assistance but couldn’t receive it, as someone had so carelessly taken a police vehicle off the road.”
