A crook faced with spending just seven days behind bars reacted by biting, kicking and spitting at police before twice performing a “dirty protest” once in custody.

Adrian Edwards had been arrested in Chatham on a fixed-term recall for failing to keep probation appointments when he lashed out at three constables and a prison van worker, and then smeared his excrement over two cells at Medway police station.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the "vile act" by the 49-year-old, who has a staggering 45 previous convictions for 132 crimes, left the force with a bill of £5,000 from the resulting damage and clean-up costs.

But at his sentencing hearing on Tuesday (August 13) it was Edwards who was left paying the price after losing his freedom for far longer than just one week.

Prosecutor Dominic Woolard said police had spotted the prolific criminal acting suspiciously in Clover Street on August 7 this year and, after checking his details, ascertained he was wanted on recall.

But having been arrested and placed in handcuffs, he became "agitated, aggressive, and abusive", the court was told.

As the officers tried to place him into the rear of a patrol car, Edwards spat in the face of one constable, bit the gloved hand of a second and then kicked a third, causing a cut to a finger and thumb.

Once in custody he refused to be interviewed and then, while being escorted from the police station, he spat at the Serco prison transport employee.

Mr Woolard said that resulted in Edwards being returned to a custody cell where he then carried out the first of his two dirty protests.

"He removed his clothes, defecated in his hands, threw it at the cell door and camera, and smeared it into the intercom before kicking the remainder of the faeces against the door," he told the court.

"The defendant was removed, showered, given clean clothing and [he] promised there would be no more incidents."

However, just over four hours later, Edwards gave a repeat performance in a neighbouring cell.

"He removed his clothing, defecated on the floor and threw the faeces around the cell before smearing it on the door and over the intercom," added the prosecutor.

He removed his clothing, defecated on the floor and threw the faeces around the cell before smearing it on the door and over the intercom

Both intercoms had to be replaced at a total cost of £4,000 and the cells each deep-cleaned three times at a cost of just under £1,000.

The Serco van also had to be cleaned of Edwards' saliva.

He later admitted three offences of assault on an emergency worker, one of common assault, and three of criminal damage.

His long-standing criminal record includes similar assaults on police and dirty protests, as well as burglary, theft, harassment and battery.

The court heard Edwards, of no fixed address, had been living in a tent in a field at the time of his latest arrest and, against a background of poor mental health, had forgotten to take his medication.

But his lawyer told the court he was no longer "in the grips" of a heroin addiction - the cause of much of his acquisitive offending in the past.

"He accepts his behaviour in police custody was disgusting, he is ashamed of it, and is very different to how he presents now," said Jessica Goldring.

"He simply asks me to tell Your Honour that he apologises sincerely for his behaviour."

Jailing Edwards for a total of 22 weeks, Judge Julian Smith told him he had "quite determinedly caused as much obstruction, frustration and mess" as he could.

"It's particularly concerning to see that officers doing their duty are still subjected to this level of conduct," he said.

"You lost control. You are a 49-year-old man and you have quite rightly pointed out that you must accept responsibility for your decisions and for your actions."

At the end of the hearing, which Edwards attended via prison video link, he told the court: "I apologise for my behaviour to those involved."