A MAN who put a police constable in a headlock was fearful of police officers because he had been 'seriously injured' by one later disciplined for misconduct, a court was told.

David Walker chipped the tooth of PC Carrick during an assault after officers were called to a home in Barrow.

South Cumbria Magistrates' Court heard Walker, 32, had grappled with the officer as he tried to evade arrest.

Walker pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker.

Describing the incident on March 15, prosecutor Lee Dacre said: "Police were called to an incident at Lorne Road. On arrival they were met by the defendant.

"He was shouting 'I'll smack you'.

"PC Carrick tackled the defendant and moved to arrest him. The defendant tried to run away.

"PC Carrick tried to grab him but the defendant placed the officer in a headlock.

"The force of it was such that the police officer's upper incisors pressed against his lower incisors and caused a tooth to chip.

"They then fell to the ground."

Mr Dacre said the defendant had two previous convictions.

Mitigating, Trystan Roberts said Walker was remorseful over what happened and pointed to the defendant's previous experiences with police officers.

"He knows he shouldn't have done it and has shown an appropriate amount of remorse and contrition," Mr Roberts said.

"He's genuinely ashamed of his behaviour and accepts that he caused an injury to the officer.

"What he tells me is this was out of character.

"He tells he was in drink at the time and that may have contributed to his behaviour.

"He's previously been arrested by police and was seriously injured. He was exonerated and that matter went to the [police watchdog] and resulted in the sergeant involved in the arrest being disciplined." 

Mr Roberts said Walker had ADHD, which 'may have had some sort of effect' during the incident.

Magistrates sentenced Walker, of Monk Street, to a community order requiring him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was also told to pay £200 in compensation to the officer, as well as a £114 victim surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.