Man sentenced after using imitation firearm to threaten officers in Telford
A man has been given a 19-month sentence after he used an imitation firearm to chase and threaten two officers in Telford town centre.
On Saturday 22 February at around 10pm, PC Dan Arthur and PC George Oliver responded to a report of a man using a trolley to try and break into a store in Telford’s town centre.
Unbeknown to the officers the wannabe burglar, who we now know to be Matthew Sylvester, was preparing for police arrival.
When Sylvester learnt police were on their way, he made his way to a nearby trolley park, where he used a jumper to cover his face and forged an object to mimic a handgun.
Once he spotted the patrol car enter the car park through the barrier he immediately charged at the officers brandishing the imitation firearm at them.
They made off from Sylvester only to find themselves stuck behind the car park barriers. He then went to the passenger side of the car, where PC Oliver was sat, before threatening him through the window and kicking the vehicle.
It was dark at the time of the incident and both officers could not see clearly what he was holding, so quickly called for back-up as they believed it to be a firearm.
Sylvester then moved to the back of the car, where he opened the boot. PC Arthur and PC Oliver got out of the car, where they were threatened again before a foot chase ensued, with the suspect then running in the direction of a housing estate.
Before he could get off the car park the two officers bravely tackled him to the floor, where they were then able to remove the jumper covering his face to reveal 37-year-old Matthew Sylvester, who is known to police.
It was then quickly established the firearm was in fact a brown paper bag Sylvester had folded in such a way that it looked like a handgun to the public and both officers.
Sylvester, of no fixed abode, was arrested at the scene for a number of offences, including having an imitation firearm and assaulting an emergency worker.
He was later charged with a number of offences including two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, possession of an imitation firearm to cause distress, possession of class A drugs and attempted burglary.
Pleaded guilty
On Wednesday, 30 July, Sylvester pleaded guilty to all charges at Shrewsbury Crown Court halfway through his week-long trial.
On Friday, 1 August, he was sentenced to 16 months for imitating a firearm, and three months for assaulting two emergency workers to run consecutively. He was also given four months for causing fear and violence and one month for possession of a class A drug (cocaine); both are to run concurrently.
Actions were calculated
Chief Inspector Matt Sanders said: “When officers are sent to an ongoing incident they are going into the unknown. That night, PC Arthur and PC Oliver responded to an attempted burglary, and came face-to-face with a man whose clear intention was to cause harm and distress to police.
“Sylvester's actions were calculated, going to great lengths to ensure officers were called to the scene, including threatening members of the public and trying to break into a shop.
"He covered his face with a jumper to ensure he wasn’t recognised by officers before manipulating an object to look like a small firearm so he could threaten whoever was responding.
“The bravery and professionalism shown by both PCs that evening was nothing short of extraordinary.
"Fortunately, neither officer sustained any injuries, and Sylvester was swiftly arrested thanks to the quick thinking and actions of both officers that night, along with those who also came to their aid.
“No-one should come to work and face violence, and we thank our officers that day for their bravery and dedication to keeping communities safe.”
