A MAN who put his thumb in a police officer's eye while trying to avoid arrest has been ordered to pay hundreds of pounds in compensation.

Joshua Jones, of St Marks Road in Chester, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning for sentence.

The 30-year-old had admitted one offence of assaulting an emergency worker at a previous hearing.

Rhian Jackson, prosecuting, told the court  that on August 17 last year, a police officer on patrol in Wrexham city centre was alerted to a domestic-related incident on Holt Road.

A female had given officers a key to her property in order to remove Jones from it - but when they arrived he'd already left.

He was found sitting on a wall a short distance away and told police to "f*** off" when approached.

"Someone's getting hurt today," he told the officers.

He was asked to leave the area, but remained there - becoming "argumentative" and attempting to intimidate the officers with his "extremely muscular build."

When warned he was to be arrested to prevent a breach of the peace, he used his size and aggression to try and prevent arrest.

He adopted a "fighting stance" and grabbed one of the officers' vest - requiring an elbow strike to the face to get him to release.

But Jones then stuck his thumb "into an officer's eye."

He was told to "stop gouging" the eye, and complied within a few seconds.

The officer experienced discomfort for a few hours and went for check-ups - but fortunately had sustained no lasting damage.

Ms Jackson said the incident had taken place by a main road on a busy afternoon in view of the public.

Jones had pleaded guilty on the day of his trial, when the court heard he had not acted deliberately, but committed the act during the struggle and had been in pain at the time.

Emma Simoes, defending, told the court: "I'd like to highlight that my client sustained excessive injuries as a result of that restraint.

"He has had to have a number of operations and the injury to him is much more long lasting."

Ms Simoes acknowledged that her client had a previous similar conviction - but said his behaviour on that occasion was a "human reaction" which had come about when his father died as a result of a dog bite and the defendant, when trying to see him, had grabbed an officer to move him.

"Since then he has had more bereavements," she continued.

"This is a man who shouldn't have behaved in the way he did.

"He's crying out for help.

"We want to try and achieve for him to go back to Spain - he has a permanent residence there and a job opportunity.

"That would be the best thing for him moving forward, with his mental health."

As such, Ms Simoes asked the court to consider imposing a suspended sentence.

District Judge Gwyn Jones told the defendant: "It was an extremely unpleasant incident and it's clear because of your physique that you were able to control the situation to some extent - which you were not entitled to do.

"That officer was trying to secure your arrest and you didn't want to be arrested."

Jones received a 26 week custodial sentence, but it was suspended for 18 months.

No additional requirements were imposed, but Jones must pay a total of £535 in compensation to the victim, as well as £300 costs.