A THUG who “pushed around” a policeman trying to arrest him for being drunk and disorderly outside a pub was jailed after a court “lost patience with him”.

Dewi Williams assaulted PC Jordan Meale near the Cross Keys in Newport city centre, a venue the defendant was very familiar with.

The 26-year-old was subject to a suspended jail sentence which was made months earlier for assaulting a drinker outside the same pub.

That was imposed after Williams was involved in a “nasty” brawl with a co-defendant at the Cross Keys in October 2019.

Newport Crown Court heard how the defendant’s latest offending took place late on the night of Friday, June 4.

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Prosecutor Sophie Keegan said police were called to a disturbance outside the John Wallace Linton and they told Williams and another man to leave the area.

She told the court: “The two were gesturing to the officers and shouting. What they were shouting was unclear.

“At around 11.10pm, the same officers saw them outside the Cross Keys pub where they were being prevented from entering by door staff.

“They were causing trouble and being aggressive. They were encouraging each other.

“PC Meale followed the defendant down Lower Dock Street to arrest him for being drunk and disorderly.”

Williams resisted the officer and his colleague Alex Dallimore, assaulting the former, before he was taken to the ground and handcuffed.

The defendant, of Welland Crescent, Bettws, Newport, was found guilty after a trial of assaulting an emergency worker, two counts of resisting arrest and being drunk and disorderly.

He had denied all four charges.

Miss Keegan said Williams had previous convictions for 16 offences, including assault occasioning bodily harm and public disorder.

The judge, Recorder Duncan Bould, heard the defendant had never been sent into custody before.

Stuart John, mitigating, urged the court to give him a one “further chance” and said his client was capable of being rehabilitated in the community.

Recorder Bould told Williams: “Over a number of years, you have dedicated yourself to committing public order offences involving drink and offences of violence.

“There has to come a point when the patience of the court runs out. Today is that day.”

“You were clearly drunk and you were clearly out of order.

“You were given the opportunity to leave the scene and you chose not to.

“You ran away and when the officer caught up with you, you pushed him around.

"He was just doing his job."

Williams was jailed for eight months and ordered to pay a £156 surcharge following his release from prison.