A DRUNK who spat at a police officer after he was arrested for threatening Asian taxi staff with what appeared to be a knife was jailed yesterday.

PC Kaljit Sander, who was born in England and is based in Middlesbrough, later said he had never encountered such racist behaviour.

PC Sander told how he felt shaken, upset and threatened by Keith Sheraton, 39.

Sheraton was caught on CCTV at the police station screaming racial abuse at PC Sander before spitting on his chest and threatening to kill him, said Ian Mullarkey, prosecuting.

Sheraton was arrested earlier on December 21 near the Middlesbrough taxi office of Euro Cars after staff had locked themselves inside as he banged on the windows, shouting racial abuse.

He targeted a taxi driver who told police Sheraton had a knife, but it was later found to be a knife handle, said Mr Mullarkey.

Sheraton was still shouting racial abuse in the police van and became more abusive at the station.

He later said: “I know that there’s dislike between them and us, that’s just the way that I was brought up.”

Mr Mullarkey said Sheraton had previous convictions for drink-driving, threatening behaviour and common assault.

David Lamb, mitigating, said his client denied being racist and had simply been drunk.

Sheraton, of Oakworth Green, Middlesbrough, was jailed for six weeks after he pleaded guilty to racially-aggravated common assault and two offences of causing racially aggravated fear of violence.