SINGAPORE - A broker was on Friday sentenced to two weeks in jail for head-butting a policeman and leaving him with a swollen lip.

Noel Patrick James Ward, 44, pleaded guilty to attacking Sergeant Chua Ming Cheng, 25, at about 1.23am on May 10 .

The court heard that the attack happened when Ward was being transported in a police car to Tanglin Police Division Headquarters, as it was travelling along Clemenceau Avenue towards Penang Road.

Ward, who had been found drunk at the void deck of Block 78 Indus Road, had been arrested after refusing to give his particulars to police or answer their questions, then turning aggressive and swearing at them.

Ward, a Briton here on an employment pass, continued to swear in the car, kicking at the door and forcing the officers to put cuffs on his legs.

When Ward tried to bang his head against the window, Sergeant Chua tried to hold him back and was head-butted. Ward also tried to bite the officer, who managed to push his head away. The car was stopped at the side of the road and reinforcements had to be called in.

Ward also admitted to disorderly behaviour by shouting loudly and gesticulating wildly at the officers, and swearing at Sergeant Chua.

For assaulting a public servant in the course of his duty, he could have been jailed up to four years and fined.