A powerful former professional rugby player has been jailed for 21 months after a court heard how he pulled out Taser barbs and “dump-tackled” a police officer.

Ex-North Wales captain Maredydd Francis, 26, of School Lane, Southsea, Wrexham, a groundworker, was told by Judge Niclas Parry: “You are a powerful man with an explosive temper that you can’t control, a man who is prone to irrational violence and clearly a danger when you are crossed.”

Judge Parry at Caernarfon Crown Court said: “On August 3, without explanation or warning, as described by your victim, you went from calm to raging bull in a split second. What followed was a ferocious sustained attack.

“Your victim, a police officer doing his work, had attended your property to request, in a civil way, you accompany him to the police station.”

Rhyl Journal:

Jailed: Maredydd Francis. Image: North Wales Police

The judge said an indication of Francis’s strength was that, as well as punching the officer, he grabbed him between the legs and dump-tackled him on a concrete area at his home.

It took three officers, who arrived after PC Richard Priamo pressed his radio emergency button, to restrain Francis.

He admitted causing grievous bodily harm.

Judge Parry said the PC was in hospital for ten days after being beaten up.

“I sentence you on the basis he made a full recovery and returned to work. But police officers are entitled to return from work without having been beaten up,” the judge remarked.

It was Francis’s third attack on a police officer although his previous record was old.

Prosecuting counsel John Philpotts said PC Priamo became aware of automatic number plate recognition “hits” on Francis’ Nissan car and he was wanted in Merseyside.

He knew Francis from his school days and went to the defendant’s home where he knocked on the door.

Mr Philpotts said he asked Francis, in a friendly and non-confrontational manner, to speak to him and said he had to be arrested. But Francis’ demeanour changed.

The officer put his foot in the door but was punched in the face.

PC Priamo found himself backed in a corner in the hall and Francis threatened to kill him and continued to throw punches.The constable was thrown on to grass and kicked.

Counsel said he felt blood on his face but his Taser twice had little effect on Francis who pulled out the barbs. Further punches caused the PC to “bounce off the walls” and he deployed incapacitant spray, too.

Francis performed a dump-tackle on to concrete before a woman neighbour urged him to stop the violence.

“The officer believes he lost consciousness for a period,’ Mr Philpotts said.

PC Priamo’s wife, also an officer, heard his emergency radio call and had been distressed by what she saw when she arrived at the scene. Her husband had a black eye and other bruising and needed a catheter until he was discharged from hospital.

Defence barrister Philip Tully said the officer was back at work with no long-term effects. Francis accepted it was an unpleasant and frightening incident for the officer and he was remorseful.

There was a different side to Francis who had been a talented sportsman, representing North Wales.

“He accepts what he did was wrong. He accepts he deserves to be punished,” Mr Tully added.