A MAN head butted a police officer and punched another in the face during a ‘struggle’ in the street.

Mark Robert Bosworth, 43, has been handed a community order and told to carry out 160 hours unpaid work following the attack in Station Road, Swanage.

Magistrates heard that on the evening of Monday, October 31, Bosworth was seen by a police officer behaving in a disorderly manner.

The officer spoke to Bosworth who was clearly very drunk and was sworn at when he asked Bosworth for identification.

As the officer attempted to arrest Bosworth for being drunk and disorderly, a struggle began during which the officer was punched in the eye.

Bosworth made off but was arrested nearby having sustained a head injury during the struggle. He was treated at the scene but after treatment continued to be aggressive toward officers and head-butted a second constable, the court heard.

One of the officers sustained a graze to his left arm and the second bruising to his eye.

Bosworth, of St Peter Street in Winchester, was sentenced at Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday November 23 after pleading guilty to two counts of assaulting a police officer and one of being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

As well as the community order and 160 unpaid work, he was also ordered to pay £270 in costs.

Purbeck Neighbourhood Police Sergeant Barry Gosling said: “Mark Bosworth’s behaviour that day was completely unacceptable and unfortunately was witnessed by a number of people who were working and visiting Swanage.

“Police officers put themselves at risk every day while protecting the public and I would like to reiterate that violence such as this will simply not be tolerated in our communities.”