A shocking video shows the moment a man suspected of possessing a gun tried to suffocate a police officer whilst asking him if he ‘wants to die’.
Max Hallam was jailed for two and a half years last Tuesday for the vicious assault on Sergeant Dave Cayton in June 2022 – that was only ended when police colleagues arrived and threatened to taser him.
Hallam, 58, was approached by Sergeant Cayton after reports of a gun sighting in the Swansgate car park in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
However, Hallam quickly turned violent, punching Sergeant Cayton to the ground and attempting to strangle him whilst bizarrely claiming he was in his right as ‘an English noble’.
Video captured from the perspective of Sergeant Cayton’s body camera shows him speaking to Hallam next to the latter’s car.
In the video, Max Hallam (pictured) is seen viciously turning to the police officer and shouting ‘No, you f***ing get your hands off of it’ – before attacking him
Bodycam footage then captures the two brawling in the car park which sees Hallam gain the upper hand
The brutality is only stopped when Sergeant Cayton’s colleagues arrive and threaten to tase Hallam
A bloodied Sergeant Cayton is then able to arrest Hallam in the car park
Sergeant Cayton asks: ‘What’s the concern?’
Hallam replies ‘The concern? Wait a sec,’ as he mumbles before opening the boot of his car and rifling through some bags.
Sergeant Cayton then says ‘That’s what I’m interested in’ as he approaches the boot to inspect what Hallam is procuring.
Hallam then viciously turns to the police officer, shouting ‘No, you f***ing get your hands off of it.’
The two then break into a scrap with Sergeant Cayton attempting to pepper spray Hallam, who resists before throwing a hard punch at the officer, knocking him to the ground.
Hallam then pounces on him, attempting to suffocate the officer whilst maniacally ranting: ‘I identified myself to you clearly. Now you’re going to have to check this out with the Prime Minister aren’t you?’
Sergeant Cayton demands that Hallam gets off him, wheezing desperately for breath as Hallam chokes him.
The clip then shows Hallam atop the Sergeant as he launches into a bizarre monologue: ‘Do you want to die? Ask yourself. You’re with an English nobleman, I can kill you – lawfully!
‘I’ve identified myself. The Prime Minister’s going to see you. I’ve restrained you, I can f***ing kill you. You can’t believe the s**t you’re in pal. Every word I’ve said to you is true.
‘You’ve just attacked British nobility.’
Max Hallam was jailed for two and a half years last Tuesday for the vicious assault
The clip then cuts to a body cam angle of one of Sergeant Cayton’s colleagues, who rushes to his aid with other officers, yelling at Hallam to get down whilst pointing a taser at him.
Hallam finally lets go, before being arrested by Sergeant Cayton himself, who appears bloodied and bruised by the attack.
The bag Hallam had in his car was later found to contain an air rifle.
Hallam, previously of Wellingborough, went on to be charged with intentional non-fatal suffocation, which he admitted at a court hearing in January.
Sergeant Cayton sustained injuries included a haemorrhaged right eye, bruising, reddening and multiple abrasions, according to a statement by Northamptonshire Police.
Northamptonshire Police released the footage on Friday following Hallam’s sentencing at Northampton Crown Court last Tuesday.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Neil Carr said today: ‘What Max Hallam put Sergeant Cayton through is horrendous.
‘The body-worn video of the incident graphically illustrates the level of force involved and the prolonged period Hallam was suffocating him for.
‘Not being able to breathe is the stuff of nightmares and I am glad that the court has recognised the severity of this offence with a significant custodial sentence.’
Sergeant Cayton added: ‘I’m satisfied with Hallam’s sentence. He will have served a significant amount of time in custody by the time he is released, which hopefully also reduces risk to the public.’
Chief Constable Nick Adderley said: ‘The protection of my officers is a cornerstone of my role, and I’m really pleased Hallam has been given a substantial prison sentence for his attack on Sgt Cayton.
‘The body-worn video of this incident is utterly chilling, as was reading Sgt Cayton’s subsequent statement in which he detailed how he genuinely believed he would die.
‘Any assault on one of my officers is unacceptable. We will always seek to prosecute those responsible, and it is right that the courts take the sentencing of such offences so seriously.’
