A man from Aberaman has been sentenced to four years in prison after attacking a police officer and attempting to discharge a taser at him during a violent episode fuelled by alcohol-induced psychosis. The incident, which left the officer in need of hospital treatment for multiple injuries, unfolded when police responded to reports of a domestic disturbance on 28 February this year.
Mark Workman, aged 44, was reportedly in a highly agitated and intoxicated state when officers arrived at his residence following concerns raised by his partner. According to details heard at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, Workman had been destroying property within his home and displaying severe paranoia, informing officers that his parents were “not his real mother and father” and asking to speak with what he described as the “real police.”
Following initial attempts to deescalate the situation, Workman tried to escape from police by running out of the back door, forcing his way through a wooden gate into the street. Given his erratic behaviour and the apparent risks to his own safety, police decided to deploy a taser. The first shot brought Workman to the ground, but he soon got back to his feet, prompting a second discharge of the taser, which again temporarily incapacitated him.
As officers attempted to restrain him, Workman became increasingly aggressive, successfully wresting the taser from an officer’s control. In a harrowing moment, he aimed the weapon at the officer’s face and pulled the trigger. Prosecutor Emily Jermin explained that, fortunately, the taser’s cartridges had already been spent, rendering it ineffective.
The violence escalated further when Workman used the taser as a blunt instrument, repeatedly striking the officer in the face and head. Injuries sustained by the officer included trauma to his eye, lips, chin, neck, and a fractured tooth—resulting in the need for emergency dental surgery. Throughout the melee, Workman made further unsuccessful attempts to activate the weapon.
Backup was called to the scene, with additional officers arriving to subdue and eventually restrain Workman. He continued to resist arrest, attempting to kick at officers as they managed to detain and handcuff him. Both attending officers were injured in the confrontation, with one requiring hospital treatment for concussion and undergoing urgent root canal surgery.
On his subsequent interview with police, Workman claimed to have no recollection of the attack, admitting only that his actions had been “out of order.” He later pleaded guilty to charges including two counts of using a firearm with intent, possessing a prohibited weapon, causing actual bodily harm, and assaulting an emergency worker.
The court was informed that Workman had a substantial criminal history, with previous convictions for violent offences including grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm, and battery. His defence representative, Owen Williams, noted that while Workman had overcome a longstanding addiction to class A drugs, he continued to struggle with alcoholism and resultant mental health complications, specifically citing the alcohol-induced psychosis that triggered the assault.
Passing sentence, Judge Jeremy Jenkins condemned the assault, stating: “It’s intolerable that police officers, who do an extremely dangerous job on behalf of society, are subjected to violence while carrying out their duties. Your conduct that night was frightening to all involved.”
The case underscores the serious dangers faced by emergency service workers and highlights ongoing concerns about the intersection of substance abuse, mental health issues, and violent crime within the community. Police officials are reminding the public that aggression against first responders will be met with the full force of the law, reflecting a zero-tolerance approach toward assaults on emergency workers.