A police sergeant who was spat at as he tried to help a colleague deal with a problematic man in custody has described the incident as the lowest of the low.
Sgt Nicholas Tungatt of Great Yarmouth Police was called to police custody on Friday, June 14, following a disturbance involving Paul Frost who was being detained.
When Mr Tungatt arrived he went to the 48-year-old's cell and tried to get the situation under control.
As he entered the cell Frost spat at him in the face.
"Spitting is horrible. It's the lowest of the low," Mr Tungatt said.
"For somebody to have that much disrespect is not on.
"Spitting is one of those things you don't see coming so you can't prepare yourself for it.
"I hope this never happens again."
Mr Tungatt has worked in the police force for 19 years and said he has never experienced anything like it before.
Frost, of Deneside, Great Yarmouth, also assaulted another police officer in the same incident.
He was jailed for 16 weeks last month and ordered to pay £200 in compensation.
In March this year, Superintendent of Great Yarmouth Police, Roger Wiltshire, condemned the "shocking" assaults criminals were increasingly carrying out on his workforce.
Supt Wiltshire said: "It is shocking to know people are attacking officers who are just trying to do their job," he said.
"The depressing thing is these attacks are becoming more regular."
Mr Wiltshire said alcohol played a part in many of the assaults on his team.
He said: "It is difficult to get your head around it because a lot of the time people are being stopped for minor offences.
"They get themselves into much more trouble because of these attacks rather than the initial crime."
He also raised concerns about the impact these attacks could have on people joining the police force even though many of the injuries sustained by his officers were minor.
Mr Wiltshire insisted keeping his workforce safe remained a top priority.
Officers now wear body cameras and carry tasers.
"Although it is hard to measure the impact, this equipment gives them added reassurance," he said.
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