A LUDLOW man has been jailed after brandishing a knife and kicking a police officer in Bridgnorth.

Richard Dalton entered a not guilty plea to one count of assaulting an emergency worker by beating when he appeared up before the magistrates' court in Telford.

But despite denying the crime in his appearance on January 1, he was convicted on February 9.

The court heard from Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor John Cattell that the 43-year-old, who was represented at the hearing by Ryan Khaira, had assaulted an emergency worker, namely a police constable who was on duty, by beating him in an incident in Bridgnorth on December 30 last year.

He was also said to be brandishing a knife at the time of the incident.

Dalton, of Upper Galdeford, Ludlow, was jailed for six months for the offence, with magistrates saying the usual sentence would have been four months, but this had to be increased due to the severity and nature of the incident.

When deciding on the penalty they would impose, magistrates gave their reason for a longer custodial sentence as a "deliberate kick to a police officer who attended an incident where the defendant was threatening others with a knife".

Dalton had been charged with threatening a person with a knife in a private place, but this charge was dismissed.

The knife was forfeited and will be destroyed.

Dalton was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154. This will be used to help fund services supporting victims of crime.

No prosecution costs were ordered to be paid by Dalton, magistrates said.