A drunk insulted and then assaulted a man because he wore a crucifix, a judge heard today (Friday).

Joe Philip Herring, aged 19, of Curlew Close, Haverfordwest, head butted Kristian Ewers and then insisted on shaking his hand.

And when a police officer arrested him he struggled free and ran away.

Herring admitted racially aggravated assault and escaping from lawful custody.

He was jailed for 24 weeks, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 160 hours of unpaid work and to pay Mr Ewers £200 in compensation.

Brian Simpson, prosecuting, told Swansea crown court how CCTV cameras filmed Herring as he approached Mr Ewers near Eddies nightclub.

Herring mocked him and as Mr Ewers tried to push him away he head butted his nose.

Afterwards, he told Mr Ewers: “Fair play, you took that like a man. It usually knocks them out.”

A police sergeant standing nearby was alerted and arrested Herring. But before he could handcuff him he struggled free and ran down Quay Street.

Herring was identified by the CCTV footage and later arrested for a second time.

He told police he had been so drunk he could not remember being in Haverfordwest let alone assaulting anyone.

Judge Paul Thomas told Herring that both offences were serious enough to warrant a jail sentence.

“These sort of offences will not be tolerated. Police officers have a difficult enough job to do without drunken idiots like you wandering about,” he added.