A police officer repeatedly had blood deliberately wiped on him by a man during an incident in Inverkeithing.

The culprit was 28-year-old James Codd, of Struan Place, Inverkeithing, who has been sentenced at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on February 5 last year at his home he assaulted a police constable by repeatedly wiping blood from himself on to the officer’s body.

Depute fiscal Laura McManus said police officers found Codd at around 11pm with a cut to his head.

The officers had put him in handcuffs and were taking him home. When the handcuffs were being removed Codd twice intentionally wiped blood on to the officer.

Defence solicitor Alan Davie said: “This was not a particularly pleasant offence. He had been drinking heavily and was in an emotional state, having self-harmed a short time before.”

Sheriff Francis Gill told Codd his behaviour had been “disgusting and unacceptable”.

He added: “What makes it worse was the police were trying to help you.”

He imposed a community payback order with 115 hours of unpaid work.