A man has been jailed for spitting at two Essex Police officers.

John Osborne, 28, of Felmores, Basildon, has been handed six months in prison after spitting at police officers during an incident.

The attack happened in Chelmsford, on July 25 last year, when Osborne spat at PC William Stables and PC Adrian Weeks while they were in the execution of their duty.

Osborne was arrested and charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer.

At Southend Magistrates' Court on November 30 last year, Osborne denied the incident but was found guilty after a trial on March 14 this year.

Magistrates ordered Osborne to serve three months for each assault consecutively, totalling six months in prison.

They described the attack as so serious because it was "a deliberate assault and caused fear of substantial health consequences for spitting at officers". 

They also highlighted his previous convictions for similar offences.

Osborne was also ordered to pay £425 in compensation.