POLICE called to a disturbance outside a Darwen pub were confronted by a man who told them it was nothing to do with them.

Blackburn magistrates heard Sharif Hayat became abusive and told door staff that if they spoke to the police they would never work at the Cock Inn again.

And police described him as behaving “like a crazed animal” as they struggled to restrain him.

Hayat, 54, of Blackburn Road, Darwen, was convicted after a trial of being drunk and disorderly and assaulting two emergency workers, police officers, in the execution of their duty.

He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 250 hours’ unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £150 compensation to one officer and £100 to the other and £800 costs.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said police were called to the Duckworth Street pub at 11.15pm and saw a group of men outside the pub.

As they approached Hayat intervened and told them it was nothing to do with them and to go away. “He was clearly drunk and was told to make his way home,” said Miss Allan.

“An officer ushered him away but he became more abusive and then pushed the officer in the chest.”

Hayat responded by trying to get the officer in a headlock and then started throwing punches and kicks at him and his colleagues. He called them ‘p******’ and said he would ‘take them all.’

“When an officer went to handcuff him he sank his teeth into the officer’s hand,” said Miss Allan.

“He was pepper sprayed but continued to struggle, trying to get hold of a pair of handcuffs to use as a weapon. One of the officers described him as behaving like a crazed animal.”

Miss Allan said the officers eventually managed to fit leg restraints and handcuff Hayat but he continued to be abusive.

In a victim impact statement the chief constable of Lancashire, Andy Rhodes, said all too often police officers were subjected to aggression and threats.

“It is never acceptable to think that assaults on police officers should be tolerated, they are not part of the job,” said Mr Rhodes.

Graeme Parkinson, defending, said his client still denied the offences but was willing to accept the verdict. “The police were not called to the scene because of my client’s behaviour and neither of the officers involved had to have any time off work as a result of the incident.”