A man who was jailed for three years after pinning down a judge and ‘relentlessly’ punching him in court can now be named. Greg Hazletine, 41, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage to a radiator after he threw it at His Honour Judge Patrick Perusko. Hazletine also admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour toward Recorder Dharmesh Patel in a separate incident.
According to sentencing remarks, Hazletine had been in a hearing before Recorder Patel when he became ‘visibly agitated, challenging the order [imposed by the judge] and shouting’. The recorder was ‘apprehensive’ and ‘fearful of being approached and being subject of reprisals’.
As a result, His Honour Judge Patrick Perusko, the family designated judge for Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire, took over the conduct of the case. A security officer was instructed to be present in the court and hearings were held in ‘the largest and safest courtroom at Milton Keynes’.
During one hearing, the judge had to leave the courtroom twice because Hazeltine was being ‘verbally abusive and aggressive’. When the judge stood to leave again, Hazletine ‘threw a small free standing electric radiator across the courtroom towards the judge’s bench…jumped on top of the table and vaulted the judicial barrier’.
The judge ran out to his chambers and into a hearing room where another judge was working. Hazeltine caught up to the judge and pushed him, causing him to hit his head on the metal base of a coat stand.
In sentencing remarks, published this week, the Honourable Mr Justice Goss said: ‘You pinned him down with your body weight, your hand on top of his chest and throat and punched him to the head a number of times.’
The punching was described as ‘relentless’. Mr Justice Goss said: ‘Every blow you delivered to Judge Perusko was with a clenched fist. Your face was bright red. You would occasionally stop punching him to say something abusive or threatening and would then start punching him again.’
Perusko suffered three wounds to his head, one to his left check, and soft tissue swelling around his head. ‘He feared for his life at the time you attacked him, and was concerned about repercussions and being assaulted and fears for his safety,’ Goss said. He described Hazletine as ‘out of control’ but acknowledged he had apologised and said he was ‘truly sorry’.
A restraining order was imposed prohibiting Hazletine from contacting the judge or attending any address he may be present. He is also prohibited from attending Milton Keynes County Court and Family Court.
