A thug who carried out a series of violent assaults and flicked his own blood at a police officer has narrowly avoided a prison sentence.

Paul Hornby jumped on the car of a woman he did not know, attacked a man who was attending a wake after his aunt’s death - and  assaulted people outside a nightclub.

But Bolton Crown Court heard he had since made efforts to 'turn his life around'.

He first struck in June 2022 when he jumped on the car of a woman he did not know in the town and broke the windscreen.

He was arrested but went on to attack emergency service workers who took him to hospital.

Hornby spat at one police officer, flicked blood at another officer and kicked another police officer.

He also spat and hit a nurse.

In total Hornby attacked five emergency services workers and went on to racially abuse a police officer when being transported.

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In April last year the 31-year-old attacked a man outside a pub who was attending a wake after the death of his auntie.

He punched him to the back of his head.

The man went into the pub before he fell to the floor. He needed 19 stitches at hospital and has been left permanently scarred.

Katy Laverty, prosecuting, revealed what the impact on the man was.

She read a victim impact statement, which stated: “I cannot even look at myself in the mirror.

“I feel like I have to leave the area now for my own safety.

“I did not deserve this treatment while I was mourning the loss of my auntie.”

Hornby struck again when he visited the Kahiki nightclub in Bolton town centre.

A member of security told police he had refused to pay after taking an item from a tray and then placed his head on a female bar staff.

Hornby went outside and was refused reentry.

He hit out and as a security guard tried to restrain him he punched him.

A woman tried to calm him down and he punched her to the face.

Another man tried to restrain him and he punched his face.

Ms Laverty read a victim impact statement from the woman he attacked.

It stated : “I am upset about the fact I was assaulted.

“I tried to calm the situation down.

“I wanted to help him.”

Hornby, from Herons Way in Bolton town centre, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting grievous bodily harm, five assaults on emergency workers, racially aggravated harassment, criminal damage, and three assaults.

Kevin Liston, defending, said he had made changes to his life, including stopping drinking and had offers of work.

He said: “He is ashamed, correctly, remorseful and ashamed and disgusted by his offences on each of these three cases.”

Recorder Andrew Long said: “You know that these are serious offences which can end up in a custodial sentence and together they probably should.

“I am impressed by the fact you are at least attempting to put your life in order.”

He suspended a sentenced of 12 months for a year and ordered him to do the thinking skills programme, 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 180 hours of unpaid work and to pay £250 of compensation to the woman whose car he damaged and £1,000 to the man he attacked outside a pub.

He was also placed on an alcohol abstinence requirement to last 120 days.