Darryl Ware, 30, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two incidents of common assault, resisting or hindering a police officer in the execution of duty and assaulting a police officer in execution of duty in Armidale Local Court on Monday.

Defence solicitor Nick Forrest told the court that while Ware did assault a police officer, it was at the “lower end of the scale”.

“There was an interaction, but not a serious one,” he said.

“The victim brushed past Mr Ware and due to his level of intoxication he thought it was aggressive.

“He later realised it wasn’t.”

The court heard Ware has a history of assaulting police in Queensland.

Magistrate Holmes said any assault on a police officer is a jailable offence.

“You had two young men minding their own business and assaulted them, you then shoulder charged a police officer as he’s trying to do his duty,” he said.

“It’s a serious offence and there’s an expectation by the community and police that these matters be dealt with.

“Both sets of offences are serious and he is clearly a man of violence.”

For the offence of actual bodily harm Ware was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, and for the other offences he was given nine months imprisonment to be served concurrently.