A 35-YEAR-OLD man who assaulted two police officers and caused a disturbance inside Hawick Police Station has been fined a total of £450 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Jamie Stewart pleaded guilty to a total of three offences at the police station during the early hours of July 12 – two assaults and a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour by shouting and swearing and spitting blood around the cell he was being held in.

Fiona Hamilton, prosecuting, explained that Stewart had been apprehended earlier elsewhere and was taken to Hawick Police Station where he became difficult with officers.

He was abusive towards one of them and after being told to take his hands out of his pockets became aggressive.

When officers tried to put him in a cell he kicked one of them on the inner thigh and another on the upper thigh.

Stewart, who gave an address in Hawick, then began to spit blood around the cell and was shouting and swearing.

In reply to being cautioned and charged, Stewart said: “I did not kick him, he kicked me.”

In response to spitting blood he said: “I should not have been bleeding.”

Defence lawyer Liam Alexander said his client felt officers had roughly handled him.

He pointed out the spitting was not aimed at anybody.

Stewart was fined £150 on each of the three charges with a £20 victim surcharge.