A MAN who spat at a police officer was told by Skipton magistrates he was lucky not to have been dealt with more severely after the spittle hit the officer's back and not his face.

Ryan Spring, 27, the first person to be charged with the assault of an emergency worker at the Skipton court, was arrested in Malham for being drunk and disorderly on January 25.

The court heard today over the space of 10 hours, he believed he had drunk about 10 pints and had also shared three bottles of wine in a pub while celebrating a friend's birthday.

Following an incident outside, police were called, the court heard from prosecutor, Melanie Ibbotson. Spring swore at the officers and was difficult so was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and taken to Harrogate police station.

On the way there, said Miss Ibbotson, he banged his head against the cage interior and on arrival, more officers were needed to get him into custody.

He then spat at Pc Icely, the spittle landing on the back of the officer's fleece jacket.

Spring was put in to a spit hood and taken into custody until 10am the next day.

Spring, of Cove Road, Malham, who admitted being drunk and disorderly and the assault of an emergency worker, was thoroughly ashamed, the court heard.

In mitigation. Keith Blackwell said Spring had been drinking for over 10 hours in the same pub and there had been some sort of disturbance, although his client was not sure what.

Mr Blackwell described Spring as being 'boisterous' when the police arrived, and then spending a considerable amount of time in the back of a police van being transported from Malham to Harrogate.

When he arrived, he was still very drunk and spat at one of the officers.

"That was a disgraceful thing to do, it it not something that happens in a civilised society. It was considerably out of character; he is thoroughly and deeply ashamed of his conduct," said Mr Blackwell.

Magistrates told Spring, who works in a pub, that assaulting an emergency worker was not tolerated and he was fortunate his spittle had not connected with the officer's skin, which would have been far more serious.

He was fined £150 for the assault and £50 for being drunk and disorderly, and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.