A drunk hairdresser spat at two police officers who tried to persuade him to wear a suicide-suit.

Martin Jackson, of Willow Grove, Baglan, Neath Port Talbot, pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting police officers in the execution of their duty when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, September 11.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, told the court that Jackson, 35, was taken to Haverfordwest police station after being arrested for an unrelated matter on August 26.

“They had concerns about his mental state and wanted him to remove his ordinary clothing and put on what is called a suicide suit, so he could not do anything which could harm himself.”

Jackson cooperated at first, but then assaulted PC Lees as he tried to persuade him to remove his trousers, and lunged towards him.

Jackson kicked out when placed on the floor and caught PC Lee’s torso, however, the officer’s robust clothing protected him from injury.

He then spat, catching PC Lee in his face and his colleague PS Mallin’s uniform.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “The officer says he found it disgusting that someone would spit at him while he was carrying out his job at the police station.”

Jonathan Webb, defending, told the bench Jackson had later been cleared of an incident which left him badly cut and bruised and led to his initial arrest.

He added that Jackson, who had some mental health issues, was intoxicated, ‘aggrieved’, and recovering from shoulder surgery when the officers took him to the ground in the approved Home Office manner.

“It’s just basically the worst type of circumstances you could have, in temper he lashed out at the officer who had put him on the floor, and followed that up by spitting, which he says was disgusting, and he should not have done it.

“He apologises to both officers. This was out of character.”

Mr Webb added that Jackson ran a hairdressing salon and beauty shop as part of a partnership and had recently opened a tanning salon.

“He is a hard-working business man who, in a moment of sheer madness, spat at a police officer.”

Magistrates fined Jackson £156 and ordered him to pay £100 compensation to PC Lees, £85 court costs and a £30 surcharge.