Man jailed for headbutting council worker

Anthony Organ launched the attack because he thought he was entitled to more money than he had been offered, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The court was told the 34-year-old went to the Civic Centre on June 13 to collect a payment from a Wolverhampton City Council employee whose role it was to help people manage their finances.

Mr Patrick Sullivan, prosecuting, said Organ was unhappy about the amount of money he had been offered and started to argue that he should be given a bigger payment.

But he became violent when the finance officer told him she was not in a position to authorise a further amount.

Organ kicked the door to the office open and he charged at the woman before butting her in the face with such force that she was knocked back into a wall, said Mr Sullivan.

The court heard the woman was left in a state of shock with blood covering her face, while Organ continued to 'scream and shout' and behave aggressively.

She was clearly distressed by what happened, added Mr Sullivan. Organ's victim suffered a cut lip and a laceration to the back of her head that had to be glued at hospital.

Mr Sullivan said she had been left in fear because of what happened and the incident had badly shaken her confidence. "She is frightened and anxious about seeing Organ again," he added.

Organ of Fargate House, Chapel Street, Wolverhampton, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Mr Simon Hanns, defending, said Organ accepted it was a disgraceful incident. He added: "He was having difficulties at the time from his complicated lifestyle."

He was sent to prison for 12 months. Mr Recorder Burns told him that people who worked in front line public services had to be protected by the courts.

"You committed this offence against a public servant who was only trying to do her job," he said. "I would be failing in my duty if I did not impose an immediate prison sentence."

Organ was also placed under a restraining order forbidding him from having any contact with his victim for five years.

Councillor Paul Sweet, Wolverhampton City Council's cabinet member for governance and performance, said jailing Organ sent out a clear message that 'violence, intimidation and abuse towards public servants doing their job is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated'.

He added: "This was a terrifying ordeal for our colleague who was injured and understandably very distressed by this totally unprovoked attack.

"We reviewed security following the incident and took steps to prevent something like this happening again."