A CRIMINAL who 'spat into another man's mouth' has been spared a prison sentence.

However, magistrates at Poole have banned Scott Sanders from Boots in Commercial Road, Bournemouth for 12 months following the incident, which happened on May 7.

Sanders appeared at the court on Tuesday to admit assaulting a person by beating him at the store.

Magistrates sentenced Sanders, 36 and of Talbot Avenue in Bournemouth, to six weeks in prison for the offence after learning his spit went into his victim's mouth.

However, they decided to suspend the sentence for 12 months. Sanders was also ordered to keep away from Boots for a year and pay his victim £115 compensation.