A FORMER Newport dock worker who admitted using racist language about a police officer and being drunk and disorderly was given a community order.

Appearing at Cwmbran Magistrates Court, Carl Anthony Mabe, 47, of Elan Close, Bettws, admitted indecent behaviour and assault against Police Sergeant Ali as well as being drunk and disorderly on Lambourne Way and assaulting PC 1265 Priest.

Robert Simkins, prosecuting, said that at 6.40pm on August 24, officers were called to a disturbance at the Nightingale pub in Bettws, where the defendant happened to be standing outside.

He swore at officers and refused to move, bumping into other people and the pub door.

He was asked to calm down and used abusive language, said Mr Simkins. Mabe was arrested and put in the cage in the back of a police car where a second man tried to open the doors and push the police officers.

The defendant kicked out at Sergeant Ali's left hand before striking PC Priest in the face.

The second man was also arrested and they were both taken to Newport Central police station where Mabe was racially abusive towards Ali.

Ben Waters, mitigating, said Mabe accepted he was intoxicated, regrets kicking out and should not have gotten involved with the police as he was not the reason they were called to the pub in the first place.

Mabe, who in the past had considerable difficulties with alcohol, attempted suicide on September 1 and was sectioned, spending three days at St Cadoc's Hospital to detoxify himself of alcohol, said Mr Waters, adding that Mabe had now been clean of alcohol for eight days.

Magistrates sentenced Mabe to a 12-month community order with 12 months supervision and 35 sessions of the Thinking Skills programme.

They gave him a curfew of 7pm-5am every day for eight weeks as well as an electronic tag. He must pay a £60 victim surcharge.