A FORMER soldier who suffers from post-traumatic stress has been jailed after a "prolonged and vicious" attack on two policemen.

Dustman Ian Foley has also lost his job and will probably lose his home after failing to take his medication and then drinking at a wedding reception.

He then damaged a pub door and parked car before attacking two policemen who stopped him further up the road.

Prosecutor David Gittins told Plymouth Crown Court that on Friday, April 16, at 12.30am, a barman at the Thistle Park Tavern in Coxside was clearing up when he heard banging at the front door.

He looked out to see Foley, carrying a car number plate, kicking and head-butting the door before shouting: "I'll be back!"

Police began to search for him and two officers spotted Foley walking along Sutton Road.

They stopped him but he was drunk, aggressive and swore at them.

He then punched one policeman and as he was being pulled to the ground, Foley hit him in the groin and bit his upper thigh.

As the officer lay on the ground in agony, Foley kicked him, ran off, returned and kicked him again three more times in the lower back whilst the other officer tried to pull him off.

Reinforcements arrived and Foley was overpowered and sprayed with CS spray.

The injured officer said it was the most vicious and personal attack he had suffered in 10 years' service.

Foley told police he had taken his prescription of 5mg of diazepam at 7.30am that day, but at 9pm had a pint of cider at home before going to the wedding reception, where he drank two pints of lager and two glasses of red wine.

The court heard that Foley, who had two previous convictions for assaulting police, wrote a letter of apology to both officers.

Andrew Maitland, for Foley, said he had spent five years in the Army, much of it in Kosovo and Macedonia, "witnessing scenes which no one ought to have seen".

He had received no treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, but before the night of the attack had made an appointment with an organisation he hoped could help him with his flashbacks.

He suffered facial fractures and nerve damage to his lip after being hit by police during his arrest.

The judge, Recorder Ian Pringle QC, said the description of the attack by Foley was horrific, and it had been prolonged and vicious.

He gave him credit for pleading guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and his letter of apology to the officers.

He told Foley, aged 31 and from Lockyer's Quay, Sutton Harbour: "You had an unhappy early adult life and experienced things we can only shudder to imagine.

"When you are free, I hope you will talk about your problems and seek help, or they will not go away."

He sentenced Foley to 16 months in jail less 79 days spent on remand or tagged on bail, with no separate penalty for the criminal damage.