Northampton offender 'too embarrassed' to watch bodyworn footage of him racially abusing officer

Dan McMahon assaulted a neighbour, spat in her face and racially abused the officer who came to arrest him.
Dan McMahon was challenged by his neighbour when he kicked off her wingmirror for seemingly no reason. He responded by spitting on her and punching her.Dan McMahon was challenged by his neighbour when he kicked off her wingmirror for seemingly no reason. He responded by spitting on her and punching her.
Dan McMahon was challenged by his neighbour when he kicked off her wingmirror for seemingly no reason. He responded by spitting on her and punching her.

A Northampton offender who beat his neighbour, spat in their face and racially abused the officer who arrested him was later "too embarrassed" to watch the bodyworn footage of his behaviour.

Dan McMahon, of Leyside Court, was commended by a judge in court yesterday for taking "real steps" to turn his life around in the months since his arrest.

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But this change has only come after the "extremely abusive" incident outside his house in October last year while the 27-year-old was in a drunken rage.

There was no reason given in court why McMahon chose to kick the wing mirrors off two of his neighbours' cars.

But when confronted by one of the owners, he spat in her face, punched her and pulled her to the floor before stamping on her hand, stating: "They won't arrest me."

When police arrived to arrest him, McMahon made obscene sexual remarks about their families and hurled vile racial slurs at an officer while 'looking him in the face'.

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He had to be detained using leg restraints and a spit hood, and later swung a punch at an officer in the detention centre.

The presecutor told the court: "During his police interview later, the defendant showed emotional distress. He claimed he had been drinking since the previous afternoon and remembered nothing before he woke up on his cell floor.

"He asked not to watch the bodyworn footage of his arrest because he was embarrassed."

Reportedly, on the day McMahon was charged and released from police custody he self-referred himself for substance abuse problems and sought rehabilitation help.

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However, the court also heard the victim statements of his assaulted neighbour who grew afraid to leave her home knowing he was on the same street.

And, a statement from the racially abused officer read: "I do not expect to come to work and hear such derogatory and abusive terms."

The 27-year-old was previously convicted in 2020 for indecent exposure, as well as a sentence in 2019 for posession with intent to supply.

But his defence barrister, Mr Liam Muir, told the court: "The work he has put in has shown he has had view to change his life after this offence.

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"I would even say he's a decent person - he's someone who is prepared to try and change his life."

In sentencing, Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane was apparently impressed McMahon's attempt and instead passed a 12 month community order and rehabilitation work. He was also ordered to pay compensation to the neighbours whose wing mirrors he broke.

The judge said: "I consider it would be unjust to to impose an immediate custodial sentence considering the very real work you have done to change your life."