A 44-year-old man has been put on probation after admitting assaulting a police officer.
Edward Michael Lewin initially denied the offence but then changed his plea to guilty on the day of his summary court trial.
High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also ordered Lewin to pay £100 in compensation to the officer, as well as £200 prosecution costs.
Defence advocate Paul Rodgers entered a basis of plea on behalf of his client, in which the assault was said to have been committed on a reckless basis, when Lewin had suffered a panic attack, and that it has been impossible to establish whether it had involved a punch or a kick.
This was accepted by the prosecution.
Mr Rodgers said that his client suffered from mental health issues which were detailed in a probation report.
He was said to have been discharged by mental health services due to his lack of engagement in the past.
The report said that Lewin had ‘distorted thinking towards authority’ and felt that police targeted him unfairly.
‘To say he has strong opinions on the police is to put it mildly,’ said the advocate.
‘I’m not sure his opinions can be changed.’
Mr Rodgers said that it had now been 10 months since the offence and there had been no further incidents, and that it had been at the lower end of the spectrum for such offences.
Lewin was said to have been trying to close the door at a property and get away from the officer concerned when the assault took place on July 22 last year.
The court heard that Lewin, who lives at Ballacricket Lane in Ronague, has previous convictions for assault and resisting arrest in 2019.
High Bailiff Mrs Hughes said that she could give the defendant limited credit for his guilty plea, as it had been entered on the day of the scheduled trial.
She told Lewin: ‘I accept you do have issues with police officers but you’re not doing yourself any favours.
‘You need to perhaps get over those issues.’
The probation order will run for 12 months.
Lewin will pay the compensation and costs at a rate of £10 per fortnight, deducted from benefits.