THE son of a travelling family now settled in Swindon spat at a police constable who to his house to question him about an incident at a pub in the town earlier that day.

Michael Smith, 19, of Beverley, Toothill, appeared before Swindon magistrates yesterday and pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty.

Prosecuting, Vyvyan Thatcher told the court that police had been called to an incident at the Village Tavern at Toothill on the evening of October 30. Smith was not present but police were given his name and address and called to see him.

Smith had refused to give the police any details, used extremely obscene language and finally spat in the face of a police officer, hitting him at the side of his face, Mr Thatcher said.

Defending, Andrew Watts-Jones said that his client had never been in trouble before. He had been out with his family for a night and had had “one over the eight”.

“He was not dealing with the drink very well and when police came to his house because they had been told he might have been involved in an incident he took it as something unfair and was not able to deal with it in an appropriate manner,” Mr Watts-Jones told the bench.

“His mother was there. They are a settled travelling family with old-fashioned values and Mrs Smith was thoroughly ashamed of her son’s behaviour.

“He is ashamed that he shamed his mother and that shame is worse than anything the court can do."

Chairman of the bench Mrs Mary-Anne Burton told Smith his actions had been very unfortunate.

She sentenced Smith to a fine of £120, ordered him to pay compensation of £50, court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30.

Speaking from the public gallery, Mrs Smith told the bench she would pay the fine and costs at the rate of £10 a week and make sure her son, who was looking for work, paid her back.