Steven Seagrave jailed at Southampton Crown Court

Steven Seagrave smashed his head against a police van after being arrested.

The 33-year-old, who has 19 convictions to 59 offences, has a criminal history which includes shoplifting, robberies, sexual offences, assaults, batteries, racially aggravated assaults and destroying property.

He was stopped following a hit and run incident in Southampton on July 20, a court heard.

Seagrave, of Livingstone Road spat “copiously” at the two officers dealing with him hitting the man in the face, eye and forehead.

Over an hour and a half, the landscaper threatened to cut the female officer open, and kill her and her family.

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He warned that if he couldn’t do it “he would pay someone else to do it”.

While in the back of the police van he said he “hoped she would die and her mother would die of AIDS”.

He claimed he had taken five ecstasy tablets “he pretended he was not able to breathe”.

Seagrave appeared before Southampton Crown Court and pleaded guilty to two charges three charges of assault, using threatening, abusive or insulting words thereby causing harassment, alarm or distress, possession of a bladed article and possession of a Class A drug.

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Prosecution barrister Simon Foster told how at 11.30pm on July 20 police were called to a traffic accident in Southampton involving a car and a van.

When they arrived Seagrave and another man ran away from the scene.

A witness shouted at Seagrave – who appeared “very erratic” – to stop.

When he was searched he was found with a lock knife and small amount of cocaine.

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In a victim statement read out in court, the male officer branded Seagrave’s actions as “disgusting”.

In mitigation, it was said Seagrave wrote a letter to both officers to apologise.

However, “he would like to apologise in person”.

Judge Peter Henry jailed Seagrave for 12 months.