A police officer who had blood spat into his face and inside his police car by a man he was arresting has described the incident as "pretty foul" and "alarming".
The offender, Sinapati Mulipola, 30, pleaded guilty in Tauranga District Court yesterday to charges of assault on police, resisting police and wilful damage.
He was sentenced to 80 hours' community work and ordered to pay $250 reparation to police to cover the cost of cleaning the patrol car, which he also spat blood into.
Mulipola's lawyer Tony Rickard-Simms told Judge Thomas Ingram that his client was "absolutely disgusted" by his behaviour, and wanted to tender his apology to the police officer and also offered to pay him $200 for the emotional harm.
Judge Ingram said he noted that Mulipola, who was extremely drunk at the time, had begun counselling to address his drinking and his other difficulties. He was satisfied a stiff sentence of community work and $250 reparation was the appropriate sanction on this occasion.