A persistent law breaker in Newark has been locked up following a string of offences.

Rocky Price has found himself in court multiple times in recent months after repeatedly breaking the law.

The 20-year-old has become a familiar face for Nottinghamshire Neighbourhood Policing Officers following a sustained stream of criminality.

From multiple acts of antisocial behaviour (ASB), to being caught carrying a knife, he has been charged more than once.

That latter offence happened on 4th October, with officers attending Yorke Drive, Newark, to find Price hiding in a bush with a knife in his pocket.

He received a 16-week sentence suspended for 12 months days on 7th October – an order he then breached with further crimes that same month.

On 12th October, Price found himself in trouble again, when he was seen to ride up to a parked police car on an off-road bike and proceed to kick it – leaving the vehicle covered in dents.

Officers at that point followed him for a short while through Newark, with the rider choosing to ignore the blue lights behind him and instead speed away, before being caught soon after.

At that point, Price – who was using the bike while disqualified and without insurance – deciding to be even more disruptive by removing his shoes and kicking them into a nearby river.

Fast forward to 17th October and he was face-to-face with Newark officers again, after he was seen going into and then climbing onto the roof of a house in Yorke Drive, despite a closure order being put in place there.

This was secured by Newark and Sherwood District Council, following a catalogue of complaints about ASB and drug-related crime at the problem property, where Price used to live.

His actions on 17th October resulted in numerous officers having to attend and a police cordon having to be set up, which led to further disruptions being caused to neighbours and the wider community.

After admitting to a charge of entering a premises in contravention of a court order and receiving a fine for that, Price, of Tolney Lane, Newark, attended Nottingham Magistrates’ Court for the other aforementioned offences on Thursday (16 January).

He was sentenced to 28 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to criminal damage, failing to stop, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance, while the offences also activated his suspended sentence. 

Price was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

PC Nathan Tyers, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“We as a neighbourhood policing team have had to spend far more time than we would’ve liked having to respond to Rocky Price’s criminal exploits.

“A significant amount of effort has gone into unpicking his defences for multiple matters and court appearances, while we’ve also worked closely with the local council to try and stop his behaviour.

“As well as being involved in frequent reports of ASB in and around the Yorke Drive area, he has continued to find himself at the centre of trouble again and again.

“We’re pleased to see he has now been handed a custodial sentence for his actions and won’t be causing any disruption in Newark for the foreseeable future.”