A local man who assaulted a Customs Officer by kicking him in the chest and knocking him to the floor has been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison.

Jayron Perez, 25, of Glacis Estate, pleaded guilty to assaulting the man and was sentenced in the Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The court heard that just after 7pm on Friday 19 August 2022, Perez was in the area of Neil Piñero Road (formerly Emerson’s Place) with other persons when they began unloading bags of suspected tobacco into a stationary vessel.

An off-duty Customs Officer arrived at the scene and shouted for the group to stop.

Perez then kicked the officer in the chest, sending him to the floor – causing the officer various minor injuries.

Perez then picked up a large rock and threatened the officer, who then left the area to request help from his colleagues.

Other Customs Officers arrived and attempted to block Perez leaving in a car, but he mounted a pavement, almost colliding with members of the public and escaped.

The incident was reported to the Royal Gibraltar Police and following an investigation, Perez was identified on CCTV. He then handed himself in and was arrested.

Perez also pleaded guilty to Carrying An Offensive Weapon (the rock), for which he received no separate penalty.

As Perez has already spent 19 weeks on remand, he will not serve any further time.