A HAMPSHIRE man has been jailed after threatening to spit on three Basingstoke police officers and cause criminal damage.

Craig Dickinson, of White Road, Aldershot pleaded guilty to assaulting three officers on May 17.

The court heard how the 34-year-old “panicked” when approached by a police officer and tried to run away.

Prosecuting, James Burnham said: “Dickinson threatened the police officers saying he would spit in their faces and failed to comply with hand cuffs. He was shouting at members of the public and used the word c*** and said he did nothing wrong.

“He threatened to break PC Gibbs fingers. He was taken to a police van and continued to be aggressive. He put his foot in the door and threatened to take his own life and said he would spit in the van.”

Judge Timothy Pattinson concluded that the threat to break an officer’s fingers is “serious”.

“I will impose a sentence of twelve weeks imprisonment with immediate effect. I am arriving at that sentence that these are repeated crimes and serious offences.

“Attempting to assault frontline emergency workers must merit immediate imprisonment of twelve weeks.

“Spitting itself is disgusting in these circumstances we are living through. I acknowledge that there have been mental health problems, but the defendant has created the problem himself.”

Mitigating, John Evans said: “He has mental health problems and has depression and ADHD. He suffers from claustrophobia and panicked when approached by the police.

“He saw the police officer and grew in a state of panic which is what happened on May 17. There was not actual spitting on the officers.”

The 34-year-old will have to pay £150 in compensation to the police officers who were assaulted.