A DUNBAR man has pleaded guilty to racially abusing a police officer and to behaving in a threatening manner before repeatedly spitting in a police vehicle.

Dominic Spiden became aggressive towards police after they had been called out to deal with his unruly behaviour at Brown Street in Haddington.

Spiden, 22, shouted abusive comments such as “f***ing m*****” at the police before becoming racially abusive towards one PC by calling him “a black b******”.

He also abused a second officer by calling her “a whore” while he was being taken to Dalkeith Police Station in the back of a police vehicle.

Spiden, of Brunt Grove, pleaded guilty to the offences when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Wednesday.

The court was told that Spiden also repeatedly spat while in the back of the police vehicle.

His solicitor Angela Craig said that Spiden had suffered from a “significant alcohol problem” and had been drinking alcohol daily prior to the incident in July.

Ms Craig said that her client was now seeking help for his addiction and was attending at a clinic for support.

Sheriff Adrian Cottam told Spiden that his behaviour was “a totally unacceptable way to behave towards police officers in particular” and deferred sentence to November 21 for bcakground reports to be prepared.

Spiden pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, uttering abusive remarks towards police officers and repeatedly spitting at Brown Street, Haddington, and on the way to Dalkeith Police Station on July 11.