A 34 year-old-man who attacked a policeman while on duty chose to go to prison on Thursday after he said he would ignore a curfew.

Mindaugas Kausikas appeared at Redbridge Magistrates’ Court where he was sentenced for the incident which took place in Manford Way, Hainault on New Year’s Eve.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting a constable and to the assault of a member of the public after drinking heavily on the day in question.

Kausikas, who spoke through a translator, said he would rather go to prison than accept a curfew as well as pay �400 for damage to a motorbike.

The defendant, from Bickley Road, Waltham Forest, was accused of inflicting a blow to the back of the head of a police constable as he sat on his bike.

The court heard that once he was arrested, Kausikas continued to be “violent and aggressive” towards staff at Ilford Police Station, High Road, Ilford.

He was accused of attempting to bite the custody officer as well as kicking another officer in the leg.

Kausikas was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison, which was reduced from 12 after he changed his plea, plus the damage costs.