Man jailed over stand-off with police on roof of Bridges pub

Rhys Brookes climbed to the top of the building on Bridge Street and began throwing roof tiles at terrified passersby below.

The 26-year-old was finally talked down after two hours, with a huge emergency services presence – including a police negotiator and a helicopter – having rushed to the area.

He was handed a year behind bars last Friday, November 20, after admitting affray and criminal damage in connection with the siege.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that police were called to the Bridges pub at around 4.45pm on October 30 2019 after receiving reports of a man scaling the premises while carrying a glass.

When officers arrived at the scene, Brookes – also known as Reece Webb – was stood on the roof removing slates and throwing them on to onto the street.

The court heard how members of the public were 'screaming, running away in fear and panic', and the high street was cordoned off.

An ambulance, police helicopter, negotiator, firefighters and mental health staff all attended and the dad remained on top of the pub until around 7pm – when he was removed from the roof using Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service's aerial platform.

Brookes, who was 'heavily intoxicated' on alcohol and cocaine, was taken to an ambulance but managed to flee – before being detained again and transferred to Warrington Hospital.

Thankfully, nobody was injured during the incident.

The defendant, who is now of Faversham in Kent and has a job in King's Cross Station, has an 'extensive' criminal record.

He was previously jailed for 17 weeks earlier this year after throwing a firework on Insall Road in Fearnhead and for a string of assaults on emergency services workers and a family member.

Brookes' sentencing was delayed from the previous day after he claimed to be suffering from coronavirus symptoms, although he later admitted he did not have Covid-19.

Roof tiles left strewn over the pavement the following morning

Sentencing, judge Neil Flewitt said: “You posed a huge risk to members of the public in the street below, who may have been struck by the slates you threw down.

“You will have incurred huge expense and inconvenience to the emergency services.

“This case undoubtedly passes the custodial threshold.

“The real issue for me to consider is whether I should suspend this sentence.

“There’s no doubt that you present a risk to the public.

“You have quite a number of recent offences committed after this offence, which does not fill me with any confidence that you are motivated to rehabilitate yourself.

“I’ve reached the conclusion that there are no grounds for me to suspend this sentence and appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.”

Brookes, who was also told to pay a victim surcharge, thanked the judge as he was led down to the cells.