Joshua Strickland jailed for assaulting police officers at York Hospital

Officers had taken Joshua Anthony Strickland to accident and emergency because they were concerned that he may have swallowed something, said Melanie Ibbotson, prosecuting.

There he spat into the face of a woman police officer.

"There was absolutely no reason for Strickland to spit at her as she was trying to help him receive medical treatment," said Ms Ibbotson.

Strickland also spat into the face of another officer and headbutted a third.

Earlier he had called a fourth officer a racist name in the city centre street when he was arrested in the early hours of April 8.

Strickland, 27, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to four charges of assaulting four police emergency workers and one of racist insults towards one of the assault victims.

Joshua Anthony Strickland assaulted police at York Hospital. Pic from North Yorkshire Police

He was jailed for four weeks.

His solicitor Liam Hassan said although he had drink and drug problems and mental health issues, he was tackling his difficulties.

Strickland appeared at York Magistrates' Court via a video link from prison to which he has been recalled to continue serving a 20-week jail term for breaching a restraining order.

Ms Ibbotson said police were called to North Street in the early hours of April 8 where Strickland "had been detained by a firearms officer" for allegedly assaulting a woman passer-by.

When the fourth police officer arrested him, Strickland became aggressive and told him "I will show you common assault in a minute" and insulted him, including using a racist slur.

Other officers helped their colleague put Strickland in a police van to be taken to Fulford Road Police Station.

On the way, concerned that he had swallowed something, the fourth police officer asked him to open his mouth and Strickland kicked him.

Strickland was taken to hospital and when he was in a bed his behaviour prompted a woman police officer to try and calm him by holding his shoulder.

Strickland responded by spitting straight in her face.

A second woman police officer was called to hospital to help restrain Strickland, and he spat in her face as well.

Strickland told a male officer "see what happens next" before lunging with his head twice at the policeman and connecting with the officer's face on the second lunge.

His previous convictions include other violence and resisting a police officer when he was a youth, but none for assaulting police or emergency workers.

Mr Hassan said Strickland had been drinking at the time of the assaults.

Since the incident last April, he had been sentenced for offences committed in May.

The defence solicitor criticised the six months it had taken police and the CPS to put the assault of emergency workers before the courts.

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Strickland had been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and psychosis for which he was receiving medication in prison, the court heard.

He had also got help with his alcohol and drug problems, said Mr Hassan.