A man who kicked two police officers in separate alcohol-fuelled incidents in Newmarket has been ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

Magistrates in Ipswich heard how Andrew Bennett, 41, stepped in front of a police vehicle on the High Street waving his hands in the air on July 11 this year.

When officers asked what he wanted, he pointed to a group of people on the other side of the road but was clearly intoxicated and slurring his words, the court heard.

He then became abusive to officers, swearing a number of times and being aggressive, Lesla Small, prosecuting, told the court.

Following his arrest for being drunk and disorderly, he kicked out and made contact with the officer’s shin.

In police interview, he told officers he was a 10 out of 10 on the drunken scale and some passersby had incited his aggressive behaviour as he attempted to get his partner home.

In the second incident on August 29, staff at The Bull pub, in the High Street, called police after ejecting a man who would not leave the area and was continuing to cause issues.

Bennett squared up to an officer before kicking out and making a connection, and was arrested for assault on an emergency worker.

He would not answer police questions in interview following the second incident.

MORE: Hundreds of cases of assault on police officers in the last yearBennett, who appeared at Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, previously pleaded guilty to two charges of assault on an emergency worker, being drunk and disorderly and using threatening words or behaviour.

Bennett, of The Medway, Ely, was not represented in court and apologised to magistrates and the police for his actions.

He said it was not in his nature and admitted that in the first incident he was “frustrated” as was trying to get his partner back home.

He described his language as “atrocious” and said it was not his “intention at all” to harm the police constable.

Bennett told magistrates he could not remember the second incident and claimed there was a possibility of his drink being spiked as he had only consumed two or three beers on that occasion.

Magistrates handed Bennett an 18-month community order and ordered him to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work.

He must also complete up to 25 Rehabilitation Activity (RA) Days and pay compensation of £100 to each officer assaulted.

Bennett was also ordered to pay £145 in costs and a victim surcharge of £95.