An ex-solider who has admitted to assaulting a chef and spitting in a police officer’s face at a  pub has appeared in court.

Anthony Dodd, 44, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to common assault, use of threatening/abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress and assault by beating an emergency worker at Swindon Magistrates'  Court on Wednesday, September 4.

The court was told on Monday, September 2 Dodd was 'drunk' at The Bishops Mill pub in Salisbury when chaos broke out in the beer garden.

Bar staff called out to a chef to find out what was going on, the court heard.

Dodd was seen throwing punches at an unknown person and the chef helped managers to restrain him.

The police were called and arrived quickly at the scene.

As they were handcuffing him, officers said he was “flailing his arms and limbs” as they were trying to regain control of the situation and Dodd kicked the chef in the head, causing him to lose his balance, fall backwards, develop a headache and later have a lump on his head - he did not require medical attention.

The court was told Dodd then called a female police officer a “slag” and spat in her face and she said this made her feel “violated and disgusted”.

Dodd, who has ten previous convictions, told the court he has never been arrested while sober and has been homeless for 20 years, arguing that the legal system has never offered support with his alcohol abuse.

However, the magistrate highlighted several previous opportunities to work with the probation services to turn his life around and said he had failed to comply on every occasion.

Dodd said: “How do you expect me to comply with anything when I’m sleeping on the streets?”

Dodd, who told the court he is an ex-soldier, readily admitted his behaviour was “out of order”, adding he was at the “end of [his] tether”.

“The best thing that can happen to me is you send me to jail for six months or something”, said Dodd. “If I don’t rehabilitate my life now it won’t happen, I’m totally lost in the world.”

A new trial hearing was set for Wednesday, October 2.

He has been remanded in custody until then.