A ‘HIGHLY intoxicated’ man who had drunk 15 pints of lager punched a police officer in the face after being given a lift home.

Police were in Workington town centre at 3am on November 11 when they were asked to deal with an ‘intoxicated’ male who was ‘acting ‘strangely’.

Marix Slatter-Toubas, 30, told officers his home address was in Salterbeck and he was taken home by police, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said the police vehicle pulled up on Poole Road and the officer opened the door. Slatter-Toubas ‘launched himself’ at the police officer and punched him to the face.

The officer described it as ‘completely unnecessary’. There was a struggle before officers placed the defendant on the floor. Slatter-Toubas was trying to bite the other officer’s hand. She then used Pava spray on him.

Slatter-Toubas was ‘shouting and swearing’ at the officers, calling them names.

Ms Fee said it was ‘not clear’ why the defendant had launched himself at them after they had given him a lift home to ensure his safety and were ‘doing him a favour’.

One of the officers had to have his injuries checked over at the hospital and had a laceration and swelling to the lip.

During police interview, Slatter-Toubas said he had ‘no recollection’ of the events. He was ‘ashamed’ and ‘embarrassed’, the court heard.

A probation officer said on the day the offences took place, Slatter-Toubas had travelled to a pub in Gosforth to discuss a job opportunity.

He had then gone into town and consumed 15 pints of lager and shots. He couldn’t remember anything from this point.

Mike Woolaghan, defending, said: “During interview with police, he was critical of his own behaviour. He expressed a genuine desire to apologise to the officers. He recognises it’s not something police want to be subjected to.

“It’s a couple of punches levelled to the officer and he is very quickly brought under control by officers.

“He is highly intoxicated. The officers are acting to safeguard the defendant when he is vulnerable and to be subjected to an assault is disappointing.”

Slatter-Toubas, of Poole Road, Salterbeck, Workington, pleaded guilty to assault by beating of an emergency worker and common assault of an emergency worker.

Passing sentence, lead magistrate, Heather Jackson-Stuttard, said: “These are two nasty assaults on emergency workers who were trying to do you a favour. This is the problem with excess alcohol.”

Slatter-Toubas was given a 12-month community order with 80 days of alcohol abstinence and monitoring. He was ordered to pay £150 in compensation to the police officer.

The defendant must also pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.