A MAN has been jailed for spitting at an emergency worker in an ‘unprovoked attack of a serious nature’.

Liam Christian, 28, assaulted a police officer in Kendal on March 10 this year by beating him while he was acting in the exercise of his functions.

Court records also showed the offence involved the defendant spitting at the officer.

The 28-year-old, of Kirkland View in Kendal, also admitted he stole two bottles of vodka worth £30.38 belonging to Premier on Wildman Street on March 10 this year.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing a further £34 worth of alcohol belonging to Sainsbury’s on March 23 and failing to surrender to police / court bail in Barrow at an appointed time on May 1, having been released on bail in criminal proceedings.

At South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on May 4, magistrates jailed the defendant for 15 weeks.

They concluded the offences were so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified and were left with no other option as they were committed while on bail.

They described the assault on the emergency worker as ‘an unprovoked attack of a serious nature’.

Christian was also ordered to pay £100 in compensation to the PC.