A MAN who clambered onto the roof of a house and hurled tiles at police officers below, will be released from prison after less than five months.

Jamie Cooper’s behaviour led to a five-hour stand-off with police and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to surrounding property and vehicles.

But at a sentencing hearing at Bolton Crown Court, the Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh, said he was willing to give the 29-year-old a chance and imposed a two-year suspended sentence.

Cooper and his partner, Rebecca Worthington, were both intoxicated when police arrived at their home on Phethean Street, Farnworth, at 10am on June 11.

Cooper climbed into the attic and on to the roof of the house before walking across the rooftops to the end of the street towards Cawdor Street.

During the incident he threw roof-tiles, damaging police cars and other vehicles and made various threats before he climbed down.

Cooper told one office he had covid-19 and blew in his face twice.

He was on bail at the time of the incident as, two months earlier, on April 26, he was driving a VW Golf at 4.43am on George Street, Farnworth and refused to stop for police. During a seven-minute chase he drove at speeds of up to 65 mph in residential streets and through a red traffic light before he and his passengers abandoned the car in Hacken Bridge Road, Bolton.

He was found hiding in brambles a short distance away and had drunk more than double the legal level of alcohol for driving.

Appearing at Bolton Crown Court via video link from HMP Forest Bank, Cooper, who had pleaded guilty to affray, nine counts of criminal damage, assaulting a police officer, dangerous driving, drink driving and having no licence or insurance, was told he had an “appalling record” by Judge Walsh.

Rebecca Filletta, defending, said a psychiatric assessment revealed Cooper had a lower-than-average IQ and a mistrust of authority figures.

She said he had been an inmate since June and had “not coped well in custody” where he had been bullied and assaulted.

Judge Walsh said Cooper had committed an “appalling catalogue of offences causing absolute mayhem” but added he was “persuaded to give him a chance”. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 35 days’ rehabilitation and 12 months’ alcohol treatment. He will be subject to a three-month curfew between 6pm and 8am.