A MAN who assaulted a police officer as he tried to arrest him has been jailed.

Blackburn magistrates heard Andrew Jackson was being arrested for allegedly assaulting two fellow residents at the Islington Motel, Blackburn.

And jailing him for 20 weeks district judge Alexandra Simmonds said he had a terrible record for offences of violence.

“The police were carrying out their job when you became abusive and violent towards them,” said District Judge Simmonds.

“They are entitled to the protection of the courts and anyone who assaults an emergency worker can expect to go to prison.”

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said officers were called to the Islington following reports that two residents had been assaulted by Jackson.

When they approached Jackson he became abusive and lunged towards them swinging a punch.

“He told the officer he would cut his ears off and bang him out,” said Miss Akhtar.

“He was pepper sprayed before he was detained.”

Jackson, 33, pleaded guilty to assaulting PC Kasim Hussain on April 26.

Ben Leech, defending, said his client accepted he became agitated and abusive and the situation quickly spiralled downwards.

“He felt he was being humiliated in the way he was being dealt with but concedes the officer should not have been put in the position he was,” said Mr Leech.

The incident comes just weeks after a police sergeant was sprayed in the face with ammonia.

Last year Lancashire’s Chief Constable Andy Rhodes spoke out about attacks on police officers, revealing that in 2017 there were 288 assaults on officers and staff which resulted in 581 days of sick leave.

Chf Cons Rhodes said: “It is not acceptable to assume that assaults on police officers should be tolerated.

"They are not ‘part of the job’.”