A man who claimed he was HIV positive threatened to 'spit blood' at police officers who arrested him, a court has heard.

Craig Banham, 35, became aggressive towards officers after being arrested, Denise Holland, prosecuting, said at Norwich Magistrates' Court on Monday.

He was taken to police headquarters and 'somehow' managed to remove his handcuffs and wave a chain around, threatening to hit officers with it. Mrs Holland said he also threatened to 'bite his lip, to get blood in his mouth, and spit at officers, saying he was HIV positive'.

She said two officers 'feared they were to be assaulted'.

Banham, of Bishop Bridge House, Norwich, admitted violent behaviour at a police station on November 11, and pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a police officer on the same date.

He also admitted being in breach of a 24 month community order imposed in July this year by failing to attend.

District Judge Nick Watson sentenced Banham to a total of 22 weeks in custody and ordered him to pay a £115 victim surcharge.

He said they were 'nasty offences' and made the officers' job 'very much more difficult by your behaviour'.

Damien Moore, mitigating, said the assault offences were 'very much out of character'.

He said he had 'no recollection' of being arrested by police or behaving in the way he did.

He had been drinking but believes someone must have tampered with his drink.

He said he should be given credit for his guilty pleas.