A man left an Indian restaurant without paying before assaulting a police officer while being treated for drunkenness, a court has heard.

Mark Croxson, 47, of Portnoi Close, Romford, was described in court as being drunk with red and watery eyes and smelling strongly of alcohol when he kicked Pc Anthony Kiddle in the stomach.

Croxson enjoyed a meal and a few drinks at the Passage to India restaurant, Upminster Road, Upminster, on September 16 before he made off without paying, Barkingside Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday.

When Pc Kiddle offered to help the ambulance crew, who were treating Croxson for drunkenness after he left the restaurant, he became aggressive and pushed and kicked Pc Kiddle while threatening to burn down the restaurant.

Less than a month later, Croxson visited the Akash Indian restaurant in High Street, Hornchurch, where he again attempted to leave without paying.

Staff tried to detain him but he became aggressive and started “lashing out” and “throwing a lot of cutlery on the floor”, the court was told. He also insulted police officers called to the scene.

Croxson, who appeared in court via video link from prison where he had spent 17 days in custody, has previous convictions of being drunk and disorderly from 2014 and 2015.

His solicitor told the court: “This is something that seems to be escalating.”

She added the defendant was keen to receive support for his alcohol consumption.

Croxson pleaded guilty to assaulting an on-duty police officer, making off without payment and two counts of being drunk and disorderly in a public space yesterday.

He was handed an 18-week suspended sentence for assaulting a police officer – with the condition he would not offend again in the next 18 months – and another suspended sentence for leaving the restaurant without payment, to run concurrently.

Croxson thanked the magistrates for “giving him a chance” and will receive alcohol treatment for six months.

He was ordered to pay £50 compensation to Pc Kiddle and £32 to the restaurant.