A DAD-OF-SIX narrowly avoided jail for spitting in a police constable's eye while officers were trying to arrest him.

Police were called to Craig Ledbury's family home in Grove after reports he was having a row with his partner.

Prosecutor Sarah McKay said the 34-year-old was arrested in the kitchen of the home in Wick Green but he resisted the officer's attempt to take him into custody.

Ms McKay told Oxford Magistrates' Court how after being taken outside to await a police van, Ledbury spat in PC Simon Oldham's face.

She added: "Mr Ledbury turned towards PC Oldham and spat directly in his face, it hit him in the eye.

"The officer said it caused him a great deal of stress and anxiety."

The court heard PC Oldham was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital and in a statement read to the court the officer said he felt "violated".

He said while officers expect to be met with physical and verbal abuse, the ordeal of being spat at had affected him psychologically.

PC Oldham added: "Having someone's bodily fluid spread across my face made me feel violated."

Ledbury admitted assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty during the incident in the early hours of February 28.

Jayne Wilkinson, defending, said her client had no memory of the incident but had admitted he had spat at the officer.

She urged the court to issue a financial penalty or a community order and not hand Ledbury a suspended or immediate prison sentence.

She added: "It isn't a domestic matter - it happened at the home address.

"Mr Ledbury has no memory of the incident, but he doesn't take issue with what the police officers are saying."

District Judge Tim Pattinson told Ledbury it was a serious offence and the message needed to be sent out that people who spit at the police are jailed.

But Mr Pattinson said because of Ledbury's previous good character and early guilty pleas he could spare him jail.

He added: "Spitting at police officers is a disgusting offence.

"I frequently hear from officers who tell me they would much rather be hit than spat at because of the risk of disease.

"The other aggravating features, apart from the degradation of spitting, were you said you were so drunk you didn't know what you were doing.

"You seem to be a hard-working man who is supporting a large family."

Mr Pattinson handed Ledbury a country order with an electronically monitored curfew from 9pm to 5am for two months.

He also ordered him to pay PC Oldham £200 in compensation as well as £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs.