A builder who had to be escorted twice from a pub later assaulted the landlord and then spat at a police officer.

Colchester magistrates heard Daniel O'Donnell was asked to leave the Royal Albion pub, in Walton, because he was seen with drugs.

As police tried to arrest him late on March 2, he coughed up phlegm and spat at one officer.

The 26-year-old admitted assaulting a police officer, assaulting a pub landlord and damaging door locks.

Nicola Leppard, prosecuting, said O'Donnell, of Elmstead Road, Colchester, trapped the landlord's arm between two doors, before running off when he saw the police had been called.

Paul Tawn, mitigating, said he was only holding the cannabis joint not using it.

"It was one of those things that got out of hand. He is deeply ashamed about it."

O'Donnell was given an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work.

He also received a curfew from 8pm to 5am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, ordered to pay costs of £87, £50 compensation to the landlord, who suffered bruising to his arm, and £100 to the landlord to pay for the damaged locks.