A Lowestoft man who directed a tirade of 'disturbing verbal abuse' towards police has been jailed.

Officers were called to the Carlton pub in London Road South, Pakefield, on April 6 following reports of criminal damage. On arrival they found that Ashley Bostock had smashed a first floor window and was standing in the street covered in blood.

The 21-year-old, of Liver Close, became abusive, threatening to 'cut them up'. At James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston he refused treatment and began to abuse hospital staff.

Corinne Gook-Hurren, prosecuting at Lowestoft magistrates' court on Tuesday, said: 'At James Paget the defendant continued to abuse officers and hospital staff. His language and threats were despicable and relentless.

'He claimed he found it funny that an officer had been recently killed in Northern Ireland. He spat at a sergeant and all over the medical treatment room.

'Back at Lowestoft Police Station a 'spit hood' had to be applied. In the cell he stuffed a pillow down the toilet, causing it to flood, and smeared blood all over the walls.'

It cost police �300 to deep clean the cell.

'One officer involved that night said Mr Bostock was the most abusive person he had come across in ten years of frontline policing,' said Mrs Gook-Hurren.

Ed Proffitt, defending, said Bostock consumed eight pints of lager and a litre of vodka on the night.

'He recalls very little,' said Mr Proffitt, adding that his client was not attempting to 'shirk' responsibility.

'You've heard how he smirked during the police interview – it was more a nervous laughter. He was quite shocked and surprised by his behaviour and the only thing he can put it down to is the considerable amount of alcohol he drank.'

Bostock pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage, two counts of using threatening words or behaviour and assaulting a police officer.

Magistrates sentenced him to 16 weeks in jail for the disorderly conduct and four weeks for the criminal damage to run concurrently.