A HOLYWELL man who spat at and kicked police officers trying to arrest him has been jailed for a year.

Wayne Whitehead, 39 and of Moorfields, Holway, was handed the sentence at Mold Crown Court on Thursday after the court was shown bodycam footage from officers who were sent to arrest him on May 25 this year.

The court heard that Whitehead – who pleaded guilty earlier this month at Wrexham Magistrates – had been in breach of two suspended sentences for similar offences.

The footage showed him resisting arrest by laying on the floor, removing his handcuffs before spitting at one female office and kicking a male officer while he was being put into the back of a van.

Whitehead continued to resist officers, removing a spit guard and bringing his handcuffed hands from the back to the front and spitting again at a further male officer, before he had to be carried into the station.

The spitting incidents were labelled 'vile' by the first officer while the second officer said he was worried about passing a virus onto his pregnant wife and child.

Whitehead apologised to the officers for the behaviour and said he acknowledged that alcohol and drugs were an issue for him.

Judge David Hale said he had no option but to jail Whitehead, who was appearing from HMP Berwyn, for 12 months.

He said: "The police must hate going to arrest you – they’re just doing their job and you make it impossible for them to do it.

"You spit at them, kick them and wear always sort of guards against you and now you’re sober you must see that too.

"You did this while in breach of two suspended sentences and I’ve no option to activate them."

Judge Hale gave Whitehead a concurrent 26 weeks for the two suspended sentences and a further 26 weeks, to be served consecutively, for the attack of an emergency services worker.

There was no separate penalty for possession of cannabis, which was destroyed.