A police officer told a court how she had to use incapacitant spray for the first time in her 13-year career on a man she said was viciously attacking her colleague.
But the chemical Pava spray had no effect on 34-year-old William Cochrane, who unleashed a flurry of blows on one of her colleagues, Inverness Sheriff Court heard.
Despite being affected herself by the spray, PC Michelle Milne told the court how she managed to drag Cochrane to the ground and handcuff him.
Cochrane is on trial in front of a jury.
He denies a total of five charges, including two of resisting arrest, one of threatening behaviour, one of police assault and possessing a knife.
He lodged a special defence of self defence, on the police assault charge.
The setting for the alleged incident was Kenneth Place in Smithton, Inverness, on May 4 last year.
PC Milne told fiscal depute Robert Weir: “I was coughing, spluttering, tearful and had a burning pain in my arm. Eventually we got him handcuffed.”
Cross examined by defence solicitor Graham Mann, PC Milne denied PC Andrew Card attacked Cochrane first.
The court also heard that the police dog had bitten Cochrane on the leg during the altercation.
PC Milne told the trial that PC Card was not giving evidence because “he is still suffering the after effects of this.”
The trial continues.