A 33-year-old man was jailed for 20 weeks after being accused of kicking a young student nurse to the back of her head, shoulders and arm as she tried to help police officers restrain him.

Kevin Humphrey Jones, of Preswylfa, Bodffordd, Anglesey, pleaded guilty at Caernarfon magistrates’ court to common assault on Moli Davies, 21, on a ward at Ysbyty Gwynedd at Bangor.

He also admitted four assaults on PCs, threatening behaviour towards two PCSOs, stealing from Debenhams at Bangor, and damaging a police cell.

Diane Williams, prosecuting, said two PCSOs patrolling at Bangor had approached Jones following the shoplifting. He protested that he hadn’t done anything wrong.

But she said Jones then claimed it would take at least ten officers to hold him down and became more aggressive.

The defendant began slurring his words and said he had taken Xanax so was driven to hospital.

But on Wednesday morning, while being guarded by police officers on a ward, he had wanted toast and was unruly.

The prosecution alleged he punched and kicked out at two officers, tried to bite one of them and spat in his face. The nurse then tried to hold his feet down but was assaulted.

Defence solicitor Glyn Roberts told the magistrates that although Jones was heavily convicted for shoplifting, rarely had he behaved towards police in this manner.

He was ashamed of his conduct towards public servants. He had taken a diazepam substitute earlier and felt it affected him in a way he hadn’t foreseen.

Jones was apologetic.

Court chairman Elfed ap Gomer told Jones :”Because of your previous record of offending we are sentencing you to immediate custody.”

North Wales police federation said five officers had been “viciously spat at, punched and kicked overnight whilst assisting NHS staff at Ysbyty Gwynedd and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.”

“Despite the appalling circumstances and situation faced by the officers, and being subjected to disgusting and demeaning attacks, all of the officers remained on duty to continue to protect the public. Although no serious injuries were sustained, there is no doubt that these attacks will have an impact upon the officers involved,” the Federation said.

Mark Jones, from North Wales Police Federation added: “Yet again, police officers are becoming victim to unprovoked, vile and totally unacceptable assaults while they are undertaking their duties in protecting the public. It is worth emphasising that these particular assaults were directly as a result of a call to help our emergency service colleagues within our local hospitals.

“Attacks and assaults on police officers will never be accepted as being ‘just part of the job’, and it is time that society and those in a position of power recognise this.

“The officers involved in last night’s assaults are receiving welfare support from North Wales Police Federation, ensuing they are cared for after being on the receiving end of such appalling behaviour.”