An estate agent who lost his job after a drink driving arrest has been jailed for four years after he tried to stab a policeman.
Swansea Crown Court heard that Tony Buttigieg was raging after losing his £42,800 job as a manager.
Worried neighbours called police after he banged on their doors, saying that someone was after him.
As the shocking video footage – taken on a body-worn camera by another officer – shows, PC Rhydian Jones was lunged at as Buttigieg was tasered.
The policeman was wearing a stab vest and was unhurt, but in a victim impact statement he said he believed Buttigieg was going to kill him.
When Buttigieg was arrested last October, he was found to have taken cocaine.
The court heard that in the three months before the attack, he had lost his job and his relationship had broken down.
The court heard he was suffering a psychotic episode at the time of the attack.
Buttigieg, of Newport, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, but guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm.
Judge Paul Thomas told him: “Knives can and frequently do kill.”
The video is testament to the astonishing bravery of police going about their daily duties.
A Rightmove spokesperson confirmed that Buttigieg had worked for it in the past.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GesWX9MIrYU
Comments (7)
In a very past life, as a former Policeman, I encountered a man hiding behind his sofa screaming he was being shot at by 2 foot high Red Indians with bows & arrows (I was in the room and there were none however he absolutely believed it), he was certainly having a psychotic episode, whether brought on by drink/drugs, mental health etc. I had another chap try to take him and me off a building, again suffering from “mental health issues”, he then jumped in a river whilst walking to the police car and I had to go in after him, at the hospital he tried to jump through a window and in the ambulance he bit his own flesh off his arms and spat it out.
So, on this “Estate Agent” story, no excuses whether he was an estate agent or not, however there are a proportion of people who are simply put in prison when they need much more appropriate help, and I know, we don’t have the funding. I rejoice at real/hardened criminals being jailed, I accept people/offenders who do wrong being punished as the rest of us abide by the law ….however I struggle with the thought that people with real mental issues are simply put in jail as we can’t offer an alternative.
It’s a cr*ppy world we live in for many reasons and in reality life is just a compromise. It’s good to remember though that behind some headlines there are genuine people that need real help. It would surprise you what some normal people are capable of. On this chap, the “Estate Agent” bit is a non-story for me.
Silly video with a weird soundtrack added?
Shame to be spreading a story about someone who has obviously hit an all-time low and probably acting out of character. Looks like some bad decisions made resulting in a terrible situation. Hopefully, he will get the help he needs.
He worked or Rightmove according to Facebook.
Was he an Estate Agent, or working in a related business?
Next chapter….
And if this was a rogue tenant that the Police had to Taser – whilst taking significant risks to their persons – on out behalf, would you be pleading with us all to hide his ID?? Doubt it.
In 100% agreement with smile please.
Well done to the Police on ensuring this idiot caused no more damage. But, of course, if he genuinely has MH issues I sincerely hope he gets help & gets better, for everyone’s sake.
Who on earth put that soundtrack on the video?!
He clearly has mental health issues and now property industry eye have decided to name and shame him with an article accompanied by a video. This creates nothing other than gossip about a man that has had a complete life breakdown. I’m sure all ‘The Sun’ and ‘Daily Mail’ readers on here will love this story. He is a man that needs to be shown compassion and perhaps this wouldn’t have happened in the first place if he had someone to talk to. Anyway. Gossip away.
Was he forced to down numerous alcoholic drinks then drive a vehicle endangering others?
Was his nose rubbed in mountains of cocaine against his will and then given knives?
How about taking responsibility of his own actions?
Bit of luck he gets on a rehab program in prison and no doubt out in 18 months and will no longer be a danger to himself or others.