A 24-year-old man who head-butted a female police officer received 12 months in jail when he appeared at Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Tyrone Sampson, of Warwick Park Road, pleaded guilty, with an explanation, to assaulting a Police officer.

The court heard that at 9.35 p.m. on May 26, Sampson was aggressive to Police who were on duty outside the Pickled Onion restaurant, on Front Street.

They arrested Sampson and put him in the back of the Police vehicle.

A female Police officer was sitting next to Sampson in the vehicle when he head-butted her.

The female officer later went to the hospital where she found she had internal and external bruising as well as a sprained right finger.

Sampson said that the entire event was not intentional. "When they arrested me, they put the handcuffs too tight. I was arrested from behind and I had my hands at my back.

"When the Jeep pulled off, I fell. I did not head-butt her on purpose," Sampson said.

The court heard that after the assault, Sampson looked at the Police officers and said: "F**k you, I don't care."

Sampson said: "I don't hit females. That's not in my nature, I'm not a violent person."

Sampson told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that the Police officers beat and provoked him.

"They hit me on my head with a flashlight," he said. "I didn't do nothing and they kept beating me. I was asking them, 'what did I do?'."

Sampson brought in a folder which he said had pictures of his wounds. The folder was not opened in court.

Mr. Warner said: "I've considered carefully what you've had to say. I reject your explanation.

"To aggravate the situation you threatened the officer saying that you didn't care."

Mr. Warner sentenced Sampson to a 12 month custodial sentence.