A MAN who bit a policeman like ‘a dog at a bone’ during an incident in Evesham has been handed a suspended sentence and ordered to pay £730.
Ross Hedges, of Pitchcombe Close, Lakeside, Redditch, pleaded guilty to assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty and being in charge of a motor vehicle with alcohol level above the legal limit at Worcester Magistrates Court on Friday (December 11).
On November 15 at 4am, police found the 24-year-old asleep in his car in a lay-by in Evesham with the key in the ignition, but the engine off. It took the two officers a while to wake him and he was very disorientated, court heard.
When he wound the window down, they took the keys and could smell alcohol on Hedges’ breath. He was told to get out of the car but became abusive and launched at PC Trowman, who could feel him bite his arm and said it was like he was “trying to get meat off the bone”.
Paul Hitchcock, prosecuting, said: “It has caused the officer’s family considerable upset, he has had tests for blood infections from the bite.”
Hedges was arrested and a breath test found him to have 66 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the limit being 35.
Waleed Khan, defending, said: “He is in disbelief that he has caused this offence and is very remorseful. There were some personal problems he was having at the time and didn’t want to go home, he wanted to be away from everyone.
“He decided he is going to stay in his vehicle and sleep it off. He couldn’t believe he did it.”
Magistrate Patricia Bradbury, Chair of the Bench, said: “This offence is so serious. Assaulting him so severely, we don’t expect public servants to have to cope with this.
“You not only bit him but teared at him as if a dog at a bone. It was a sustained bite and he was only trying to do his job.”
Hedges was handed an eight week sentence, suspended for 12 months with 120 hours unpaid work as punishment.
He was ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge, £150 criminal charge, £50 costs and £150 compensation to the police officer.
For being in charge of a motor vehicle with alcohol level above the limit, he was given 10 penalty points on his licence and a £300 fine.
