Kettering man who spat at police officers is spared jail

A man from Kettering has been spared from prison after spitting at police officers who had intervened in an altercation.

Ryan Gallagher gobbed at the officers when they were called to a row in Wood Street in the town on July 31 last year.

The 32-year-old was seen holding a plank of wood during an altercation with another man at about 4.30pm.

But when officers arrived to intervene Gallagher was "very aggressive" towards them and spat at two of them twice, police said.

He was later charged with having an offensive weapon in a public place and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, which he admitted at Northampton Magistrates' Court last week.

Gallagher, of Imperial Place, was sentenced to a total of 37 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months.

He must take part in rehabilitation activities and pay compensation of £100 to each police officer he assaulted, court costs of £85 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £156.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: “Assaults against our officers are disgraceful and we will always pursue action against those who commit them.

“Being assaulted is not part of the job and never will be.

"Our officers go to work to protect the public and do not deserve to be assaulted in the line of duty.”