A BLOOD covered Bonhill man spat on a cops head and told an officer that he hoped their "child dies a horrible death".

Daniel Thomson, 20, who lives at Northfield Road in the town, was arrested following a disturbance at an address in Ladyton Estate on November 8 last year.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard from procurator fiscal depute Emma Thomson that at 5am that Sunday morning an incident took place following an argument at the address and Thomson assaulted a woman and a man. The woman was struck on the face leaving her in the hallway of the house with blood coming from her mouth. He also bit a man within the house on the body during the incident and the police attended. On entering the house they found the injured woman and took Thomson to Clydebank Police Office.

Thomson sustained a cut to his forehead while within the police vehicle and spat on the head of one of the officer while at the police station. He was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley for treatment but while there he continued his aggressive behaviour and tried to spit on another officer. The fiscal then said Smith made threats towards the officers which included comments such as "putting a knife in your child's throat"and "I hope your child dies a horrible death" before he made a threat to kill one of the cops' wife.

Solicitor Judith Reid, mitigating, said: "I think the amounts he had to drink could be the only explanation for his behaviour. From my discussions with him he had so much to drink he has little recollection. Police described him and his partner as being heavily intoxicated.

"He has not had a drink since the incident took place and has not been in trouble since. He has disassociated himself with various peers and is back at his mother's house. We have discussed the fact that he faces custody for this and he has a lot to lose especially his employment. I don't think that this is a young man who should go to custody.

Sheriff William Gallacher responded: "This is an utterly gratuitous assault on police officers spitting at them while he was covered in blood."

As he passed sentence on Thomson, the sheriff said: "With very considerable hesitation I will make you the subject of a community payback order. If you fail to attend or do what's required of you I will instantly revoke the order and send you to prison for 12 months. These are despicable offences."

The order was imposed with the conditions that Thomson be supervised for a period of two years and carry out 300 hours of unpaid work within the next nine months. This was as a direct alternative to custody.