POLICE responded to a whispered 999 call from a woman who was concerned her cousin had broken into her home.

Blackburn magistrates heard Marcus Riding was found hiding under his cousin’s bed in an extremely intoxicated state.

During his arrest he struggled violently and hit a female officer's leg with the back of his head which it was accepted had been reckless rather than deliberate.

Riding, 21, of George Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker. He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 30 days rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to pay £85 costs and £95 victim surcharge.

Janice Vallance, prosecuting, said the police were called at 7.55am by a female who was whispering that she needed help.

“The police attended her property and she said the defendant was her cousin and he had broken into her house,” said Miss Vallance. “She said he was still in the property and was upstairs.”

The police conducted a search and found Riding hiding under his cousin’s bed. He was extremely intoxicated and told police he was homeless and had nowhere to go.

As he was being escorted out of the property Riding tried to bang his head on the floor and wall. Officers tried to restrain him and in the course of the struggle the back of his head hit a female officer on the thigh.

Peter King, defending, said the basis of the guilty plea was that the assault had been reckless rather than deliberate.

“He was actually trying to bang his head on the floor and as he pulled it back the back of his head hit the officer,” said Mr King.