POLICE have welcomed the jail sentence handed to a thief who attacked four officers.

Christopher Howard, 40, was sent to prison for 10 months at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Saturday after pleading guilty to four counts of assaulting an officer, criminal damage and two counts of theft.

He repeatedly spat at police after being arrested on suspicion of trying car doors in Burford Avenue in the early hours of September 25.

Supt Phil Staynings said: “Howard’s aggressive and abusive behaviour towards police officers was completely unacceptable – nobody needs reminding that we are still living through a global health pandemic.

“Police officers on the frontline are working tirelessly despite these testing times to keep us all safe – they no doubt have their own anxieties and concerns about coming to work during these times and people like Howard are adding to these anxieties completely unnecessarily.

“Any kind of assault on an officer will simply not be tolerated – it isn’t part of the job and should never be seen as such, therefore I am pleased a custodial sentence has been imposed.

“We’d like to thank the vigilant member of the public who initially reported the suspicious activity seen in Burford Avenue, which enabled officers to swiftly attend and locate Howard who was found in possession of a number of stolen items which will now be returned to their rightful owners.”

When police arrived at the scene in Burford Avenue, a sniffer dog, Conan, found Howard hiding beneath a lorry.

In his possession were a pair of stolen sunglasses and a wallet and bottles of Stella Artois taken from another vehicle.

He was arrested and started spitting at the officers, hitting one in the face and another in the arm.

He peppered the inside of a police van in spittle and, when taken to his cell at Gablecross police station, urinated on the floor. The clean-up cost £110, the court heard.

As well as the 10-month jail sentence, Howard was also ordered to pay compensation of £110 by the court.