A thug bent a police officer’s fingers back and tried to headbutt him as he was being arrested at his home.

William Mahu was asked to hand over his phone by police sent to arrest him at his Dover home but refused and stayed on a call.

As PC Kyle Wayark attempted to take the mobile, Mahu pulled his fingers back, sending the officer flying headfirst into a radiatior.

Mahu then tried to headbutt PC Waymark and pushed him in the face as he was trying to handcuff him.

The 27-year-old ran off with the cuffs attached to just one of his hands, with the officer giving chase and having to use pava spray to bring him under control.

Mahu, of Selkirk Road, Dover, was later charged and admitted assault on an emergency worker when he appeared in court on July 16 – the day after the attack.

But he had to wait until Tuesday to learn his fate, returning to Margate Magistrates’ Court to be sentenced.

Elizabeth Evans, prosecuting, said: “The PC went to arrest him at his house over other matters and he was in a room on the phone.

“The officer asked him to put his phone down but he refused and continued talking and the officer tried to take the phone from him but he clawed at his hand and then pulled his fingers back.

“The officer pulled away as he handcuffed him, but was pulled to the floor and went headfirst into a radiator.

“[Mahu] also attempted to headbutt him and pushed him in the face and at that point, he ran from the house with just one handcuff on.

“The officer gave chase and he squared up to him and the officer had to use pava spray.

“During interview, he said the officer was a ‘cocky ****’ and said he had ‘p***** him off’.

“He said the officer put him in a headlock and he then said ‘f*** it, he’s a **** mate, f*** it’

“He then laughed and then said he’d ‘kick the f*** out of him’ and that he was a ‘p***y mate’ and that he was getting it and that he would take him off his feet if he saw him again’.”

Mahu has 13 previous convictions and was last in court in 2020.

Emma Lispcombe, defending, said her client’s mental health had declined after the death of a family member and that, despite being unemployed, he had scaffolding and bricklaying skills.

She added: “His behaviour that day was not acceptable and he knows that. He wants routine.”

Magistrates went along with the advice in the pre-sentencing report and placed Mahu on a 12-month community, order which will see him complete 20 rehabilitation sessions with probation.

He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and pay the police officer £250 compensation at a rate of £20 a month.

It was never stated in court what other matters police went to arrest Mahu over.