A machete-carrying teenager who assaulted two police officers – leaving one with a fractured eye socket and a broken jaw – has been told he faces a significant custodial sentence.

Dylan Craig appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday to admit a string of offences, including assaults on two police officers and two members of the public, criminal damage to cars and carrying a machete in public.

The 18-year-old was arrested in Stowmarket following two incidents on the evening of Wednesday, June 3.

Police were called after two 17-year-old girls were threatened by three males near the railway station at 8.25pm.

The girls were followed into Creeting Road West, where one of the males brandished a machete before striking one of them on the leg – causing no injury – and punching her to the head.

Police found the suspects in the vicinity of Newton Road, where Craig left a female officer with a fractured eye socket, a broken jaw and swelling, while a male officer suffered a cut to the face.

Craig, of Hill Rise, Stowmarket, appeared at court on video link from Norwich prison to plead guilty to causing Pc Judith Hambling grievous bodily harm with intent, causing Timothy Barnes actual bodily harm, assaulting the teenage girl by beating and possession of a bladed article in a public place.

In connection with an incident in Ipswich Road at about 8am on the same night, Craig admitted assaulting a 56-year-old man and throwing a bottle at the windscreen of his Volkswagen Passat.

He also admitted damaging the windscreen of the same car and a Vauxhall Combo van belonging to the same victim on May 22.

A 16-year-old boy and 21-year-old man arrested on the same evening were released without charge.

The injured officers were taken to hospital and later discharged after treatment.

Inspector Shawn Wakeling paid tribute to their bravery and called the attack “completely unacceptable”.

Craig is due to be sentenced on September 10 following the preparation of a pre-sentence report and psychiatric assessment.

Judge Emma Peters said the offences clearly crossed the custody threshold, telling Craig:

“There is no question that you will be facing a custodial sentence.”