JOSH DUGGAN FROM STOCKTON JAILED FOR ATTACKING POLICE DURING BREACH CHECK
In November 2019, a serious incident unfolded involving Josh Duggan, a known sex offender from Stockton, who was ultimately sentenced to prison after a violent confrontation with police officers.The events took place during a routine check to ensure Duggan was complying with his legal obligations, but the situation quickly escalated into a physical assault.
Josh Duggan, aged 23 at the time, had previously been convicted in May 2016 on three counts of sexual assault.
The charges involved him grabbing or smacking the bottoms of three women, a conviction that led to a court order requiring him to register his address with law enforcement authorities until 2023.
This legal requirement was part of his probation conditions following his sexual offenses.
When Duggan was released from prison in August of that year, it was for unrelated matters, but he failed to notify police of his current residence.
This omission triggered a search by officers attempting to locate him, as his failure to update his address was a breach of his court order.
After several attempts to find him, police officers tracked Duggan down at his mother’s residence on Woodland Street in Stockton, where he was supposed to be living.
According to court proceedings at Teesside Crown Court, the police officers involved approached Duggan’s home with the intent to detain him.
However, Duggan responded aggressively to their presence.
When the officers attempted to enforce the court order and arrest him, Duggan refused to cooperate and became physically violent.
Prosecutor Jenny Haigh detailed that Duggan kicked out at the officers, punched one of them in the face, and twisted the nipples of one officer during the arrest attempt on September 27.
In court, Duggan pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of breaching his sex offender registration order and two counts of assaulting emergency service personnel.
His defense lawyer, John Nixon, explained that Duggan had been staying at his mother’s house but had failed to inform police of his address, fearing arrest.
Nixon stated, “There was a degree of resistance; it was more an attempt to avoid being arrested rather than being detected.
What is clear is that he failed to comply with the order.” Regarding the assaults on the police officers, Nixon acknowledged that Duggan had no defense and that his client had lost control, displaying recklessness.
The court was told that Duggan’s actions were driven by fear and a desire to evade law enforcement.
Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Duggan to two concurrent eight-month prison terms for breaching the court order and two concurrent two-month sentences for the assaults, which would run consecutively.
Additionally, Duggan was ordered to pay £75 in compensation to each of the two officers involved.
The judge emphasized the seriousness of Duggan’s conduct, stating, “You spent ten days avoiding the police despite the fact you knew they were looking for you.
You moved from house to house and failed to notify them where you were.” Overall, the case highlights the consequences of failing to adhere to court orders and the dangers of resisting law enforcement during enforcement actions, especially for individuals with prior convictions for sexual offenses.
