A SERIAL criminal who stole from a charity tin in a coffee shop bit and spat on a police officer who arrested him has been jailed.

William Brown, 40, carried out the theft at the Starbucks branch in Glasgow's Royal Exchange Square last September.

Police found him hiding within scaffolding nearby.

Prosecutor Amanda Gallagher told Glasgow Sheriff court: “They took hold of his arm and put him in handcuffs.

“While holding him, Brown bit PC Jamie Green on the knee and spat at him.”

The officer later needed a Hepatitis B booster and antibiotics as a result.

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Brown today admitted to the Starbucks theft and assaulting the constable.

It is not known how much money was in the charity tin, which was found near the coffee shop.

It emerged Brown struck nine days after a court freed him to show he could be of good behaviour.

He had been guilty of thefts at a pub and a sports centre.

Sheriff Martin Jones QC today locked him up for 13 months branding his record "significant".