A DRUNKEN man who kicked a police officer in the testicles has been handed a deferred sentence.

Martin Glover appeared before Hereford Magistrates Court for sentencing on May 12 after previously admitting assaulting an emergency worker by beating, being drunk and disorderly, and committing a further offence while subject to a conditional discharge.

Police had been called to Hereford's railway station late in the evening of March 3, prosecutor Melanie Winterflood said.

When they arrived, they found Glover screaming and shouting loudly enough to be heard over the noise of a train at the platform.

Officers tried to speak to Glover, who they said was slurring his words and smelled of alcohol, but he kept on shouting about an accusation that had been made against him despite warnings to stop, and was arrested.

When police tried to put him in handcuffs, Glover became aggressive, swearing at officers and kicking one of them in the groin.

In interview, Glover said he had been upset about a conversation with a family member and that he had been drunk at the time.

Marilena Di Vitantonio, for Glover, said the 60-year-old's behaviour had been to do with the breakdown of a relationship.

"He simply did not know how to deal with things," she said.

"He was apologetic in interview and said he did not intentionally assault a police officer, but that he had been very upset at the time."

The court heard that Glover, who is currently serving a five-and-a-half month sentence at HMP Hewell, would lose his accommodation in Ledbury's Church Street if a further custodial sentence were imposed.

Magistrates agreed to defer Glover's sentencing for six months to allow him to engage with probation and other agencies on his release.