Addict tried to bite officer after being saved from overdose

Anthony Joshua Morris then attacked an officer months later during another incident in which he tried to flee the police, Leeds Crown Court was told.

The 30-year-old admitted two charges of assaulting an emergency worker, and attempting to have possession of cannabis and cocaine.

Prosecutor Gareth Andrew said officers had been patrolling Wakefield on September 20 last year when they found Morris and suspected he was on drugs.

They took him to Pinderfields Hospital because of his condition where he then became unresponsive. He admitted to have taken methadone and anti-psychotic medication.

He was quickly given a shot of medication to reverse the overdose effects, but as soon as he regained consciousness, he began hallucinating and became aggressive.

As the officer tried to handcuff him to the bed, he lunged at him to bite him, but the officer was quick to move out of the way.

Then in the early hours of February 7, this year, officers were called to Horbury to reports of a man running around with a knife.

They spotted Morris who tried to get away on a push bike but was grabbed by an officer and a struggle ensued.

He elbowed and punched the officer several times, despite being sprayed with PAVA spray. He was eventually restrained.

Morris, of Gloucester Place, Wakefield, has 38 convictions for 68 offences, including multiple drug offences.

Mitigating, Lucy Brown said prior to the first incident at Pinderfields, Morris had purposely tried to overdose.

She said: "He wishes the police had not tried to assist him, it's clear he was very unwell and it was a factor in the way he behaved."

For the second incident, she it stemmed from trouble Morris had with his ex-partner's neighbour.

She said he never had a knife on him, and nothing was found by police, so was simply surprised by the force being used by the police.

She added that he was very honest about his drug problems and was now on a methadone programme.

Judge Neil Clark gave him 12 weeks' jail, suspended for 12 months, saying he must complete a drug rehabilitation requirement.

He said: "Police should be protected, not attacked or beaten.

"They were trying to help you and you ended up attacking them.

"The reports suggest you are progressing and you are changing.

"At some point, somebody of your age has to stop, you have to grow up. It appears you are trying to do that.

"If you breach it, you only have one person to blame and you will go to jail."