A MAN jailed for coughing in a police officer's face after attacking a woman is again behind bars after he was caught seeing his victim despite a court order.

Alex Wood had previously been banned from seeing the woman, with whom he had been in a relationship with for 18 months, after the violent episode in March.

He was jailed after that attack, where he hit her on the head with a can before going on to cough on an arresting officer.

READ AGAIN: The original sentencing hearing in March.

Today he was handed another jail term after he was caught red-handed getting out of the woman's car before 'hiding in some bushes.'

The 38-year-old of Bridge End, Dorchester-on-Thames had already admitted one count of harassment by breaching a restraining order.

He appeared via videolink to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court today.

Outlining the case prosecutor Edward Culver said officers went to carry out a 'welfare check' on the woman who was the subject of a banning order due to concerns of 'lack of contact.'

On September 28 they spotted her driving a car in the Wantage area.

That car was seen to turn before Wood was spotted getting out and hiding in some bushes.

Further investigations revealed that Wood had been staying with the woman - his previous victim - after his release from prison for the coughing offence and the assault upon her.

Prosecutors said that there had been arguments between the pair and the woman had been left 'frightened' of Wood.

READ ALSO: Woman 'bit off' man's ear lobe in night of violence in Grove, Oxford court hears.

The court also heard that Wood has a total of seven previous convictions.

He was originally jailed for the violent episode in March this year.

During that incident Wood grabbed his victim by the chest and hit her on the head with a can, using enough force that it left a lump on her head.

When officers arrived, Wood was arrested at the scene and he went on to cough in the face of an officer, who was wearing a protective face mask.

When asked why he had done that, Wood said that a mask 'would not stop anything.'

He was jailed for 22 weeks for those offences.

Today, speaking of the order breach his defence barrister Michael Goold said: "There was no suggestion of violence.

"No suggestion of threats, no suggestion of any misconduct."

He added that his client had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and that prison conditions were 'unusually harsh' in the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle QC called the offence a 'deliberate' and 'persistent' breach.

Wood was jailed for a total of a eight months and he must pay a statutory victim surcharge.

The original restraining order remains in place.