Police officer faced anxious wait for blood test results after thug with hepatitis scratched her and racially abused second officer in town centre attack

Lee Jenkins was locked up for 15 months over the incident which shocked members of the public in Dewsbury.

Leeds Crown Court heard police officers were called to a disturbance outside the Black Bull pub, Northgate, on March 20 this year.

A member of the public was restraining Jenkins and there was an allegation that the defendant had assaulted someone.

The police officers then took charge of the incident and asked Jenkins to calm down.

Jenkins said to a female officer "I'm allergic to Asians" and continued to hurl further racial abuse at her.

The court heard people who witnessed the abuse found it upsetting.

Jenkins attacked a second female officer by puncturing the skin on her hands by scratching her with his nails.

Jenkins suffers from hepatitis C and the officer faced an anxious wait for blood test results after the attack to see if she had been infected.

The defendant was interviewed and said he could not recall the incident due to the amount of drugs and alcohol he had taken.

He apologised for his behaviour and expressed regret.

Jenkins, of Chickenley Lane, Dewsbury, was released on bail but continued to offend.

He caused damage to two cars parked in a yard in Heckmondwike on July 16.

Three days later he broke into a car and stole a speaker.

Jenkins pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker, racially aggravated assault, threatening behaviour, theft and two counts of criminal damage.

He has 61 previous convictions.

John Bottomley, mitigating, said Jenkins pleaded guilty to the offences at an early stage and is in poor health.

Sentencing, Recorder David Gordon said: "This was foul mouthed racist abuse of a police officer who was only doing her duty."