A Totton man who assaulted two police officers has dodged jail - despite being jailed for similar offences in 2022.

Appearing at Southampton Magistrates' Court, Malachi Bates pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker on February 27 2025.

He was handed two concurrent prison sentences totalling 16 weeks, both of which were suspended for 18 months.

Bates, 22, of Mansergh Walk, also pleaded pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled Class B drug and causing criminal damage to a police cell, for which he received no separate penalties.

In 2022 the defendant was jailed at the same court after an incident at Pop World.

After refusing to leave the premises he became obstructive, abusive, and threatening towards staff and also assaulted two police officers.

Bates pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison.

He was also handed an eight-week sentence – to run consecutively – after the court activated a suspended sentence imposed after a prior incident.