Jail for biting policeman

Damion Ramcharan, 22, of Amherst Road, sunk his teeth into the hand of PC Roger Burns when the officer tried to carry out a stop check in Hove in September.

Prosecutor Peter Teager told Lewes Crown Court: "As the officer approached the defendant he put his hand in his pocket and started to move his hand towards his mouth. The officer was suspicious he was about to hide some illicit substance and that led to a brief but violent struggle.

"The officer was able to grab his hand and pull it away from his mouth. In doing so he had to put his own hand in the defendant's mouth. In the course of all that a package in cling film fell to the floor. As that happened the defendant bit the police officer's finger.

"He did apologise and said it was not deliberate. The substance was crack cocaine. The defendant gave a false name. He was granted bail to return to the police stationbut did not. Police caught up with him in January in Bexhill and he admitted giving a false name. He said he was illegally overstaying from Jamaica and he feared he would have been deported."

Ramcharan, who has no previous convictions, admitted common assault, obstructing the officer, possessing a class A drug and a bail act offence.

Guy Russell, defending, said: "He married his long term partner in November. The Home Office will decide soon if he is allowed to stay."

Sentencing Ramcharan, Judge Richard Brown said: "Police officers are entitled to go about their duties without being assaulted. Your assault on that officer is such that a custodial sentence is justified."

Ramcharan was freed immediately as he had already served the equivalent of the sentence while on remand.