Man bit police officer on hip

A 23-year-old man bit a police officer when he tried to arrest him outside a Norwich nightclub and had to be sprayed with CS gas, Norwich Crown Court heard yesterday.

Edward Perks, of Rosary Road, Norwich, struggled with a plain clothes police officer who spotted him leaving the Po Na Na nightclub via a side entrance on December 3, 2009.

Perks pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actually bodily harm and was yesterday sentenced to five months in prison suspended for two years, plus an 18 month supervision order and 300 hours unpaid work.

The court heard that Perks 'managed to bite the officer just above the right hip' in the struggle.

Recorder Malcolm Davis-White QC, sentencing, said Perks had a string of previous convictions, including one for biting a police officer in June 2008.

'Society as a whole relies upon the police to do a good job; the police in return are entitled to respect, co-operation and proper behaviour.

'I take into account that you are seeking to change direction with your life and have started studying A levels.

'Make no mistake; this is the last chance.'

Perks and a friend had tried to enter Po Na Na without paying when nearby officers noticed them exiting from a side door.

Rachel Cushing, prosecuting, said: 'One of the officers told Mr Perks that she was a police officer and he had been arrested for burglary.'

When Perks struggled, another officer stepped in.

'He managed to bite the officer just above the right hip. In the end he was sprayed with CS gas,' said Mrs Cushing.

Michael Clare, mitigating, said Perks did not realise he was being arrested by a police officer as he was too drunk to understand.

'I don't want to fall into the trap of making excuses for him, police officers shouldn't have to put up with this.

'But he did suffer a fractured collar bone and he stands by what he said in the interview - he didn't realise they were police officers.

'It was unlikely he realised what he was doing. He tells me he is sorry and very regretful.'