A pensioner with ‘ASBOs coming out of his ears’ has been jailed after attacking paramedics as they tried to help him.

Alcoholic Kevin Mitchell, 74, was found collapsed at Cleckheaton Bus Station on July 2.

An ambulance was called but he lashed out at two female paramedics, throwing punches and attempting to headbutt them.

Mitchell claimed he was spiked with a spice cigarette and had no recollection of the assaults.

Kevin Mitchell at Kirklees Magistrates' Court

But a district judge branded his behaviour ‘appalling’ and said he had no option but to send him to prison.

One of the paramedics suffered scratches to her back and told how her ordeal left her feeling scared.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard that she knew she had to act to prevent him from harming anybody else and held him to the floor until police arrived.

The incident put Mitchell, of Providence Street in Cleckheaton, in breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order.

The three-year order was imposed last year and has terms including a ban on drinking alcohol in public in Kirklees and acting in an anti-social behaviour order likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

A hearing at the Huddersfield court earlier this year was told that the OAP had “ASBOs coming out of his ears” after he was caught urinating and drinking in public.

As well as breaching the court order Mitchell pleaded guilty to two charges of assault and bring drunk and disorderly in public.

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Andy Day, mitigating, explained that his client is an alcoholic and had drunk four or five cans of beer or lager on the day of the offences.

The ambulance was called after he was found collapsed and shaking but Mitchell would not normally react that way to the amount he had to drink that day.

Mr Day said: “He accepts responsibility however he believes that he was given a Spice cigarette from somebody he bumped into.

“He doesn’t take drugs and believes that his behaviour on that afternoon was made considerably worse by the effects of the drug.

“The defendant was too incoherent to be able to answer questions under caution and 24 hours after drinking alcohol you would not expect this.

“He is ashamed and sorry for his behaviour and apologises sincerely for the assaults. He respects paramedics and women in general and would never intentionally hit a woman.”

But District Judge Watkin sentenced Mitchell to 22 weeks in custody.

He told him: “In my view, at 74 years of age with a record as appalling as yours, there’s no prospect of me imposing a suspended sentence.

“Your behaviour was appalling, particularly towards paramedics who came out to help you.

“A message has to be sent out about that behaviour and, in my view, there’s only one sentence and that’s custody.”