A man spat at a police officer after being sprayed with CS gas as he was arrested.

Alexander Smith, who had two previous convictions for attacks on police, was taken into custody following a row with his ex-partner at her Dewsbury home.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of resisting constables in the execution of their duty and assaulting a PC.

Kirklees magistrates were told that the officers attended an address in Overthorpe Avenue, Thornhill, at 5.30am on March 21.

Drunk Smith became aggressive after returning to find himself locked out and his ex called police.

Prosecutor Andy Wills said he was then verbally abusive towards the officers and ignored their requests to calm down.

He told magistrates: “They had difficulty as they tried to place handcuffs on him. He resisted and tensed his arms.

“CS spray had to be used and that calmed him to the extent that they could effect an arrest.”

Smith was initially taken to Dewsbury Police Station but couldn’t be held there and so police moved him into another vehicle to transport him elsewhere.

Dewsbury, Police Station.

As they did so he struggled and spat out at the officers, the spital landing on the sleeve of his jacket.

Magistrates were told that Smith, of Union Street in Dewsbury, held 10 previous assault convictions including two for assaulting a PC.

Paul Blanchard, mitigating, explained that alcohol played a significant role in his offending.

He told magistrates that while Smith couldn’t remember most of the incident he didn’t wish to challenge the police officers’ version of events.

Mr Blanchard said: “He acknowledges that his behaviour fell far short of what it should have been.

“Somehow he will have to balance living life and not drinking to excess.”

Magistrates told Smith that assaulting police was not acceptable and they would not be offering him alcohol treatment as it was a “waste of vital resources.”

Instead they sentenced him to a curfew for 12 weeks between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

Smith will have to pay £85 prosecution costs and £85 victim surcharge.