Marcus Bent Given 12-Month Suspended Sentence for Attacking Police Officer

Former professional footballer Marcus Bent has been handed a 12-month suspended sentence for attacking a police officer at his Surrey home on September 13, 2015.

As shared by Sky Sports, the 37-year-old was involved in a bizarre incident with the police:

The career journeyman was an England under-21 international and played for a number of British clubs, including Crystal Palace, Everton and Charlton Athletic.    

He last played professional football in 2012 and entered the oil business soon after, according to his brother Elliott, who said the veteran striker was open to playing again should the right offer come along, per Get West London's Tim Street. 

But in September of last year, he was charged with affray and possession of a Class A drug after Surrey Police told reporters they had to use a taser to subdue Bent, per Jacob Cotterill of the Stoke Sentinel. 

Per MailOnline's Sam Cunningham, Bent admitted the charges in court on Friday, which led to the suspended sentence. He will have to complete 200 hours of community service and will be under curfew for two months, but he won't have to wear an electronic tag. 

Bent escaped a prison sentence due to the circumstances of the incident. Per Cunningham, he himself called the authorities in a state of delusion, believing someone had entered his home. He then locked himself in the bathroom, failed to open the door for police offers and eventually burst out holding the meat cleaver and lunging at the officers.

Even during the arrest, he maintained he could "see their face," alluding to the intruders he believed were in his home.

The judge said the story was "consistent with being delusional at the time" and handed the former striker a two-year suspended sentence. He was warned that if he reoffends, breaches curfew or misses his community service, he will immediately be sent to prison, per Cunningham.  

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