A Haverhill man has admitted spitting at a police officer after he was arrested for punching a front door glass window.

Magistrates heard how Alexandru Anutoiu, 33, damaged the front door in Haverhill on January 22 this year after starting an altercation with the man who lived there.

The victim, who was not at home during the incident, returned home to find glass and blood stains.

The damage to the front door was estimated at between £600 and £700, the court heard.

Swabs were taken from the scene and forensically linked Anutoiu to the criminal damage, Mark Milkovics, prosecuting, told the court.

Anutoiu was arrested on the same day by officers and placed into the back of a police van, the court heard.

On the way to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre, Anutoiu became aggressive in the van, punching the inside of the cage, Mr Milkovics said.

A police officer got into the back of the van to try to calm him down but Anutoiu spat at the officer twice inside the vehicle despite repeated warnings not to do so.

A spit hood was eventually used on Anutoiu, the court heard.

Mr Milkovics read a personal statement to the court from the officer involved in the incident.

He said he was fearful of catching Covid-19 and other diseases from being spat at, particularly as he has two young children and his wife works as an NHS keyworker.

The officer also said Anutoiu had sworn at him repeatedly while in the back of the van on the way to the police station.

Anutoiu, of Belmont Court, Haverhill, pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal damage and one count of assaulting an emergency worker at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Jeremy Kendall, mitigating, said it wasn't Anutoiu's intention to spit at the officer in the back of the van.

Magistrates ordered an all-options pre-sentence report from the Probation Service ahead of Anutoiu's sentencing.

He was granted unconditional bail and will appear for sentence at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on September 10.