A DAWLISH man has been jailed for 10 weeks for attacking a police officer and fined for racially aggravated behaviour or words.

Harry Robert Norman, aged 33, of Carlton Terrace, Dawlish, admitted assaulting an emergency worker,  a police officer, by beating, in Dawlish on November 7 of last year.

South and West Devon Magistrates' Court sent him to prison for 10 weeks for this adding: ‘The offence was so serious because it was a deliberate attack on a public servant carrying out public duties.’

He must also pay compensation of £100.

Norman also admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause distress to a woman in Dawlish. He was sent to prison for four weeks on this, to run concurrently with the other sentence. He must pay £37.75 compensation.

He was also charged with stealing produce worth £47 from the Co-op at Dawlish and no separate penalty was imposed for this but he must pay compensation of £47. No separate penalty was imposed on a further charge of stealing produce worth £37.75 but he must pay this back in compensation.

Norman was further charged with using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment or distress and that it was racially aggravated. He was fined £140 and must pay £154 to fund victim services.

The court added: ‘The court finds that this offence was racially aggravated.’

A charge that he used threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment or distress and that it was religiously aggravated was withdrawn by the prosecution.