An "extremely violent" man has been jailed after attacking four police officers as they brought him into custody.

Thomas Farley tried biting, headbutting, and pushing an officer down the stairs, before making homophobic remarks and coughing in another's face while claiming he had coronavirus.

Police were called to St Mildred's Road, Ramsgate , at about 4am on September 20, to reports a man had threatened people at the property.

Farley, 26, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault and affray.

But as officers tried to take him into custody, he tried to push an officer down a flight of stairs.

He then kneed the same officer in his leg and attempted to bite another officer on her arm.

He also made homophobic comments and tried to headbutt a third officer.

He was taken by van to Margate Police Station, but upon arrival he coughed in another officer's face before telling him: "I've got coronavirus".

Farley, of no fixed abode, was charged with four counts of assaulting an emergency worker and appeared before Maidstone Magistrates' Court the following day.

He admitted all four assaults, as well as a public order offence, and was jailed for 120 days.

Chief Inspector Dan Carter, District Commander of Thanet, said: "Police officers are required to attend unpredictable, challenging and sometimes volatile situations but this doesn't mean they should accept being abused or assaulted.

"Being assaulted must never be seen as being 'part of the job' and any offenders will face the full force of the law.

"Farley's actions on the night of this incident were despicable and it is lucky that the officers who arrested him were not more seriously injured.

"I would like to praise their skill in dealing with this extremely violent offender and the quality of the case that was put together, which has seen him jailed."

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet