A DEFENDANT who threatened in front of a judge to punch a female custody officer in the face has been sent to prison for three months.

Shabir Khan, 28, in the dock at Burnley Crown Court, grabbed hold of Group 4 officer Ruth Simmons and drew back his right fist, just yards from Judge David Pirie.

The judge shouted at the defendant, saying had he not done so Khan may well have struck the officer.

Judge Pirie sent Khan, of Regent Street, Brierfield, who had been leaving the dock after a plea and directions hearing, to prison for three months, for contempt of court in threatening to assault Miss Simmons.

The judge said he accepted the defendant's explanation, put forward by his counsel, as to how he came to lose his self control.

But he added: "You turned to the female officer, took hold of her shoulder and while holding her, drew your fist back. In my judgment you came perilously close to punching her full in the face."

Mark Stuart, Khan's barrister, said no blow as struck. Khan had put his hand on the officer's shoulder which, at its highest, would be a common assault and would not cross the custody threshold if it had happened anywhere else. It was not premeditated.

He added: "I do accept the matter is made more serious by the fact that it occurred in the place where it did, and in the circumstances that it did."

Mr Stuart said one of two defendants who had earlier appeared with Khan was his wife. As he went to leave the dock, he went to kiss her, but the custody officer intervened. Khan potentially could have passed something to his wife.

The Group 4 officer used her arm to push Khan away, he lost his temper and grabbed hold of her. Khan was not going to strike her but did get annoyed. He was upset at being pushed away when he went to kiss his wife.

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