A drunk and drugged-up man spat in the eyes of two police officers and racially abused two of their colleagues after he was arrested on suspicion of throwing a rock at a car, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Connor Shaw was heavily intoxicated and violent when he was apprehended at 6am on August 13 last year following the report of criminal damage from a member of the public.

Prosecutor Tom Jackson told the court that Shaw, 23, had to be handcuffed and taken to the ground while kicking out and shouting racial insults at the officers.

Mr Jackson said he was abusive and aggressive and spat at two officers, hitting them in the eyes.

Even after being put into leg restraints and a spit guard, Shaw, of Courier House, King Cross, Street, Halifax, was still spitting and hurling insults at officers of mixed race, the court was told.

He later apologised in his police interview saying someone may have given him drugs.

He went on to plead guilty to two offences of assaulting a police officer as an emergency worker and two racially aggravated public order offences.

Mr Jackson said the officers that were spat at and insulted were sad, upset and disgusted by Shaw’s actions, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.

Shaw had four previous convictions for battery as well as a record for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assaulting a constable.

He was in breach of a community order when he committed the offences.

His barrister Anastasis Tasou said Shaw had spent three weeks remanded in custody and that was the start of his rehabilitation.

He had detoxified and stayed out of trouble since.

He was a qualified joiner with the offer of work in the family business.

Mr Tasou conceded that it was “a horrible collection of nasty behaviour” on Shaw’s part. His recollection of the events was clouded by the alcohol and drugs he had taken.

He had since embarked on a positive new life after addressing all the problems that had led to his offending.

Recorder Jeremy Barnett labelled them “horrible offences,” saying Shaw’s behaviour had been vicious and despicable.

“The public are sick and tired of people who attack emergency workers during the Covid lockdown,” he said.

But Shaw had demonstrated that he had changed his ways by detoxifying and staying out of trouble since.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with a six-month alcohol treatment programme and 15 rehabilitation activity days.