Spitting on a cop has earned one man a community work sentence.
Daniel McDonald was taken to the Whanganui Police Station on November 26 while he was "heavily intoxicated", police prosecutor Sergeant Stephen Butler told the Whanganui District Court on Tuesday.
The constable was handcuffing McDonald, and as soon as he turned away McDonald unleashed a "glob" of spit on the back of the officer's leg.
Mr Butler said it left a "wet, slimy patch on the victim's uniform" which "required considerable wiping to remove".
McDonald pleaded guilty to an assault on the officer.
"He knows there's no excuse for it, sir, and it's appalling behaviour," defence lawyer Stephen Ross said.
Judge David Cameron sentenced McDonald to 50 hours of community work.