A CALDICOT man has had an existing suspended prison sentence extended after an "insulting and frightening" assault on a police officer.

Police were called to the home of Charlie Edmunds, in Taff Road, on May 15.

They arrived to find the 21-year-old intoxicated and in a "highly emotional state".

As they tried to calm him down, he begun to headbutt the front door repeatedly.

Officers held Edmunds down to prevent him from hurting himself, and as they did, he warned them: "You better let go of me".

He then spat in the face of one of the officers.

At a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, Carl Williams, representing Edmunds, told of his client's immediate and continual remorse.

"He has been remorseful from the outset, and has sincerely apologised to the officer," said Mr Williams.

"He believes he would struggle in prison and that would mean all the good work that has been done in relation to employment and rehabilitation would be lost."

At the time of the offence, Edmunds was the subject of a 24-month suspended sentence received in November 2020. He had been found in a car with drugs on him and said he was selling it to pay off debts from his own drug use.

That debt was on his mind on May 15, Mr Williams said, with Edmunds fearing for his safety over the debt he owed to drug dealers.

Mr Williams said: "He comes from a good family, it is a happy home.

"He did not feel able to tell the author of his pre-sentence report this, but his mother has given him £400 to pay off the debt and he is no longer in physical danger."

He added that the police officer was wearing a face mask at the time of the incident, "therefore any likely psychological impact on the officer was avoided".

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Sentencing Edmunds, Judge Wayne Beard described the incident as "insulting and frightening".

He said: "Spitting in the face of an officer was frightening obviously because of the danger of passing on an infection which has killed many thousands of people in this country over the last year."

Judge Beard warned Edmunds that his behaviour could have resulted in a prison sentence, but that it would not in this case because of mitigating factors.

He explained: "It is clear that you were suffering from depression and were trying to deal with that depression without medication.

"We have heard that your mental health was not in a good place at that time because of the additional pressure that criminal people you had become involved with were placing on you.

"You appear to be turning your life around now."

Judge Beard extended Edmunds' suspended sentence for six months, and ordered him to carry out a further 150 hours of unpaid work, including 20 days of rehabilitation requirements.

He must pay the officer he assaulted £300 in compensation, and pay a £95 victim surcharge.