A police officer has been awarded £200 in compensation after a man he was trying to arrest spat in his face.

The spittle went in PC Martin Rowlands’ eye and mouth, leaving him worried about the risk of infection.

Deputy District Judge Gerallt Jones, sitting at Llandudno magistrates’ court, described it as “a shocking incident”.

“It’s a disgusting state of affairs to spit in anyone’s face, especially a police officer and they should not have to face conduct of that nature,” he said.

Prosecutor James Neary said that PC Rowlands was among officers carrying out checks on licensed premises on August 17 when they called at the Plough Inn in St Asaph at 11.30pm.

Defendant Gethin Wyn Lloyd was abusive and refused to speak to the officers when they approached him.

He struggled when they tried to handcuff him and became increasingly aggressive when they took him to their vehicle, then spat in PC Rowlands’ face.

On the way to the custody suite in St Asaph Lloyd, 25, repeatedly headbutted the vehicle.

In a victim impact statement the officer said he had been in the police for six years and never been assaulted.

“It is totally unacceptable to be assaulted when doing my job,” he said.

When interviewed, Lloyd, of Ffordd Gogor, Llansannan, said he had started drinking at 3pm and had drunk about 15 pints of lager.

His solicitor Deborah Tennant-Davies, told the court: “He is genuinely remorseful and wishes to apologise to the officer.”

“Fifteen pints of lager is not going to help anybody.”

The Deputy District Judge said he accepted that the offence was totally out of character as he had no previous convictions.

Lloyd, a fencing contractor, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker and was ordered to carry out 135 hours of unpaid work. He was also fined £100 after admitting being drunk and disorderly and £50 for possessing a small amount of cannabis, and must pay costs of £85 and a £90 surcharge.