A 43-year-old man who assaulted three police officers in two separate incidents has been left with a court bill of nearly £2,500.

Marc Prime, of Elmdon Place, Haverhill, appeared at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to eight charges following incidents in September and October 2021.

On September 7, 2021, police were called to a domestic incident in the High Street in Haverhill, Wayne Ablett, prosecuting, told the court.

Officers attended and spoke to a woman while Prime was at the scene, and during the incident he pushed a PC to the chest, knocking him off balance.

The officer called for assistance and two other PCs arrived at Coupals Close to find Prime standing outside the front door with a glass bottle in his hands.

Prime made threats that he was going to throw the bottle towards an officer so a further request was made for officers with Tasers, Mr Ablett said.

Prime remained at the front door but by the time further units had arrived, he had put the glass bottle down, magistrates heard.

During his arrest, he kicked out sideways and struck an officer to the hand but no injury was caused.

Police were informed that Prime had been inside the Esso on Sturmer Road and taken two bottles of beer without paying for them.

While he was travelling to the police station, he continued to spit in the back of the van, Mr Ablett said.

On October 22, at the Drabbet Smock pub in Haverhill, around 5pm, Prime was asked to leave due to his drunken behaviour, magistrates heard.

He became aggressive towards staff, and a man, who had been sat with Prime, told him if he didn't leave the police would be called.

Prime punched the man once to the face, causing bruising to his right eye.

Prime was thrown out of the pub and police located him near the town square, and he was shouting and swearing after his arrest.

He tried to bite an officer but the PC was able to pull his hand out of the way, Mr Ablett added.

Prime, who has 20 previous convictions for 35 offences, pleaded guilty to three counts of assaulting a police officer, two counts of assault, criminal damage, using threatening words or behaviour and theft.

Magistrates fined Prime a total of £1,700 and ordered him to pay a total of £375 in compensation to the assault victims and £100 compensation to Suffolk police for the damage to the van.

He was also ordered to pay £145 in court costs and a victim surcharge of £170.