20-year-old Tyger Walker attacked a volunteer street pastor, who had gone to the aid of a distressed woman, in the town’s High Street on the evening of Tuesday 22 July 2022.
The man was arrested shortly after and was later charged with assault and using threatening behaviour towards a police officer at the scene.
Walker, from Ashford, was given a 12-month sentence at a Young Offenders’ Institution when he appeared at Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday 16 November.
The street pastor had been working in Ashford offering help and support to members of the public when the assault took place.
As the volunteer approached a woman he was concerned about, Walker came towards the victim and struck him to the face, knocking him to the ground.
Threats made to kill Police Officer
Police arrested Walker who was nearby. He made threats to kill an attending officer and go to the home of a family member of the officer.
Drugs
Walker’s sentence included a month concurrent for possession of cocaine and cannabis, which were found on him when he was stopped in June 2022, and the activation of a suspended sentence he was previously given for another assault in Ashford town centre in September 2021.
PC Trevor Moon, Kent Police’s investigating officer, said: ‘This was an unprovoked attack on someone who was providing help to people in the night-time economy.
‘I hope the incident has not discouraged the victim from taking part in the excellent work street pastors do, and that our quick response and arrest on the night gives them a feeling of safety when out in future.’