A man from Denbigh has been given a suspended sentence after he slammed a door on a police officer's hand, causing bruising.

Matthew Erangey escaped immediate imprisonment at Mold Crown Court today (Friday),

Erangey, 25, of Myddleton Avenue in Denbigh, received a six week prison sentence suspended for 12 months with no conditions.

A judge ruled that his existing community orders should continue.

The court heard that police were called to his home address in March with a warrant to arrest him.

He had failed to attend court for alleged non-compliance with a community order

But he said that he had done nothing wrong and slammed the door on the officer’s hand, explained prosecuting barrister James Coutts.

He then escaped over rear gardens, evading other police officers.

But he voluntarily handed himself in to the police the following morning.

The officer suffered grazing to her hand.

Judge Niclas Parry ordered him to pay the officer £150 compensation.

While on a suspended sentence, he resisted arrest and caused the officer injury, he said.

The officer was only there because he was not complying with a suspended sentence.

But he had handed himself in and the magistrates who dealt with him, knowing he was on a suspended sentence and knowing he had been involved in a fracas with a police officer, allowed the order to continue.

Since then there had been no breach and in the circumstances he considered it unjust to now activate the suspended sentence imposed in February.

Judge Parry told him: “I will tell you to your face, I expect you to be back here for breaching the order. I hope you prove me wrong. Take your chance. It is up to you.”

Defending barrister Matthew Curtis said that the defendant was working as a full time carer for his grandfather. A letter from him pointed out the ways he was able to assist him.

A charge of escape was not pursued.

The original suspended sentence was imposed for a burglary at a bungalow under renovation in Denbigh.

A widow was having second thoughts about moving in following the raid, the court heard at the time.

Electrical appliances and other items valued at more than £900 had been stolen.

In addition the tools of a tradesman working at the bungalow had been stolen and they were valued at more than £470.

Erangey was arrested after a DNA hit from his blood left at the scene.

He claimed that he had been forced into it by drug dealers.

Erangey said that he and his family had been threatened and his home would possibly be burned if he did not do as he was told.

He said he was directed to go to the bungalow to take part in the burglary and to attend the following morning to help load the stolen property onto a vehicle.