A dribbling drunk smacked a woman in the face inside a pub before head-butting a police officer while trying to flee the scene.

After a day-long drinking binge, Travis Horsford, 26, assaulted his victim after an altercation at the John Wallis in Ashford High Street on September 12.

Unemployed Horsford resisted arrest by head-butting PC Martyn Brown to the jaw and saying: “Oh, I just head-butted you - that was bang out of order.”

The ex-construction worker, of Godfrey Walk, Ashford, pleaded guilty to common assault and assaulting a police officer to resist arrest when he appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Neil Sweeney, prosecuting, said: “It appears the victim rejected him at the bar.

“On leaving the bar he slaps her around the face.

“During the arrest he pulled away from the officer. He head-butted PC Brown.”

The court heard Horsford, who admitted to suffering with an alcohol and previous cannabis addiction, was so drunk he could barely stand at around 9.20pm, the time of the incident.

Police body camera footage showed the benefit claimant staggering outside the pub dribbling from the nose and mouth.

"You need to stay out of trouble" - Stella Eccles, chairman of the bench

Footage revealed him telling arresting officers ‘to chill’ before suddenly delivering the blow, causing swelling to the face.

Sat in the dock wearing black jeans and a jacket, Horsford, of Godfrey Walk, hung his head in shame as the video played out.

Mitigating, barrister Niall Doherty claimed Horsford had fallen forward, accidentally making contact with the officer.

He told magistrates: “As you can see, he can barely stand. He has no recollection of the incident.

“He is dribbling from the mouth, he is dribbling from the nose.

“I’m going to suggest to you he accidentally fell forwards.”

But Horsford, who is barred from the pub, was handed a 12 month community order including six months alcohol treatment and 10 rehabilitation days.

He was also placed on an electronic tag under a 7pm to 7am curfew and fined £250, of which he will pay £10 a fortnight.

Stella Eccles, chairman of the bench, told him: “You need to stay out of trouble.”