SPITTING at a police officer in Dunfermline Police Station led to a court appearance for Cowdenbeath man Steven Bonaria this week.

In the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday, Bonaria, 32, of Woodside, had previously admitted the assault on July 28.

Depute Fiscal, Rebecca Clark, said the offence took place after he had been taken to the station and had refused to engage with custody staff.

While being restrained to have his clothing removed, he spat on the arm of the police officer.

Solicitor Alexander Flett said his client was "genuinely remorseful" about what had taken place.

"He was taken to custody and was upset about that and accepts what he did and is very apologetic for what he did," he added.

Sheriff Charles McNair put Bonaria on a community payback order with a requirement to do 300 hours of unpaid work within six months.

He told him: "You have a bad record of abusing police officers and other members of the emergency services and you have recently completed a community payback order in relation to assaulting police officers.

"Had it not been for your caring responsibility,I would have been sending you to a very lengthy custodial sentence. Looking at your record of previous community payback orders where you were given chance after chance after chance before it was allowed to continue, if you come back before me with a breach, you will not be given another chance. You will go to prison."