A Westminster noise enforcement officer had a lucky escape when he went to the door of a party early on a Sunday morning – to be chased by a knife-wielding naked man who had drunk two litres of the powerful Greek spirit ouzo.
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WCC employee Ken Agnew was followed by Terence Hurley along the corridor of Gainsborough House, Erasmus Street, and the council officer was forced to knock on nearby doors to find a resident who would shelter him while he called the police.
West London magistrates’ court was told the drama unfolded when Mr Agnew went to the flat block in SW1 following two complaints of noise from neighbours at around 6.45am. Mr Agnew knocked at the door at around 7.30am after the volume of music increased dramatically, to be greeted by a naked Mr Hurley. The householder became abusive about his neighbours and swung an abortive punch at the Westminster City Council employee. After briefly disappearing inside the flat, Mr Hurley reappeared with a large knife which he brandished at the officer.
While Mr Agnew was unhurt in the attack, the actions earned Mr Hurley a 16-week jail term when he appeared before magistrates. Mr Hurley denied one charge of affray and another of a public order offence, which was subsequently withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service. Mr Hurley was convicted on the affray charge.
The court was told that Mr Hurley had admitted drinking two bottles of ouzo the previous evening and could not remember the incident. He had previously been served a noise abatement notice by Westminster Council 4.1.12 for making noise at 05.20hrs
Speaking after the case, Mr Agnew said:
“This was one of the most frightening incidents of my 27-year career. I was being chased by someone with a knife inside a block of flats and I had to bang on doors to find somewhere to escape. Noise and licensing officers sometimes have to endure difficult members of the public, but Mr Hurley’s reaction was off the scale.”
Cllr Tony Devenish, Westminster Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Premises, said:
“Mr Hurley may indeed have had no recollection of his actions after drinking a huge quantity of very strong alcohol, but that is no excuse. The Westminster officer had gone to the property because the resident was making life a misery for others early on a Sunday with unsociably loud music. It is more by luck than design that he was unable to inflict any serious injuries on our council officer.
“Mr Hurley can now ponder the merits of drinking ouzo from his prison cell. He would be well advised to give it up altogether.”
The incident took place on Sunday May 13, 2012. The hearing before West London magistrates was on July 26th.
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