Man Who Attacked Police With Taser Jailed

Layton Jeffers, the man who resisted arrest and attacked police last year in St. Albans has been sentence to jail. The 29-year old will serve close to 10 years in prison for his recklessness and dangerous actions. His sentencing was delivered roughly a year after his arrest. He was charged with a string of offenses including the possession of a firearm during a police chase.

Jeffers was involved in a heated police chase sometimes in August 2019. Before the confrontation and subsequent arrest last year, he had earlier been declared wanted for a blackmailing offence he committed. Around June 2019, Police sources say Jeffers contacted his victim through social media and threatened to harm him three times, demanding payment of £200 on each occasion. Jeffers was eventually reported to the police and was declared wanted for his offenses.

Days later, Jeffers was seen on London Road, But when he was approached by the police he attempted to run away form the officers. He was also reported to have brought out a taser and turned on the officer that tried to bring him in. Afraid she would be hit, the officer stopped chasing him and Jeffers ran into a pub after discarding the taser he had used on the officer on the floor.

Jeffers also assaulted other officers that attempted to bring him in. He threw pint glasses at one officer then head-butted and punch another before he was finally subdued and arrested. Following his arrest, he was taken in for a mental assessment.

Officers say he was continually aggressive even after his arrest hitting an officer and spitting on two more police officers. One of the officers he attacked was hospitalized for an injury to his eye.

Following his arrest, Jeffers was remanded in custody. He was subsequently charged to court where he pleaded guilty to the accusations and was eventually sentenced on the 10th of July 2020. He received custodial sentences for two years for the blackmail and got nine years and nine-month sentence for the possession of a firearm and attempting to use it on the officers.
Part of his conviction also included sentencing for aggravated public disorder offenses and five counts of assault on the police officers that arrested and detained him. All of his sentences are expected to run concurrently.

According to Detective Constable Mark Chipchase, of the Local Crime Unit, Jeffers, violent behaviour was a threat to the police officers that took him in and everyone present the time.
“He used violence, threats and – most seriously of all – a taser in his attempts to avoid arrest"
Chipchase agrees that his long sentencing rightly reflects the seriousness of his offences and show that his kind of behaviour is not tolerated in St. Albans.