A BRADFORD man with 100 offences on his criminal record has been jailed for assaulting a customer in a city centre bank and spitting at and kicking the police officer arresting him.

Andrew Butler was muted on a video link to HMP Leeds today after he wouldn’t be quiet at the start of his sentencing hearing at Bradford Crown Court.

Prosecutor Danielle Gilmour said Butler, 51, of Leeds Road, had a nil probation report after being aggressive and swearing at the interviewing officer.

A follow-up session with the court’s liaison and diversion service was also terminated by his ‘expletive laden rant.’ He was jailed for 59 weeks for what Judge Andrew Hatton labelled his ‘entirely disgraceful conduct’ at the Virgin Money bank on the Broadway on August 24 last year.

Miss Gilmour said a man waiting for the bank to open was approached by Butler who he believed to be under the influence of drugs.

He told the defendant to stop shouting and when the doors opened, he went inside but Butler followed him.

He was shouting abuse and as the staff were escorting him out, he grabbed the man by the shoulder and said: “Come with me, I’m going to kick your head in.”

Butler also threatened a carer with a man with Down’s syndrome, saying he would ‘cut him into pieces.’ When the police arrived at the bank, he spat repeatedly towards an officer and kicked him on the shin.

He had a bag of cannabis on him and a joint, Miss Gilmour said.

Butler pleaded guilty to assault by beating, assault on an emergency worker, threatening behaviour and possession of cannabis.

The court heard that before this offending, he had 27 convictions for 98 offences, almost all for dishonesty. He was in breach of a community order for attempted burglary.

Butler’s solicitor advocate, John Bottomley, said he had numerous health problems, both physical and mental and had been in custody for several months.

He conceded that it would be an immediate prison sentence, given his client’s unwillingness to engage with the probation service.

Judge Hatton said Butler had behaved in a ‘thoroughly unpleasant way’ with the probation service and the liaison and diversion staff member. He had been aggressive and unwilling to co-operate.

That had followed his ‘entirely disgraceful conduct’ at the bank.

He had almost 100 offences on his record and had breached a community order.

Judge Hatton meted out consecutive sentences totalling 59 weeks.