Man bit hole in policeman’s ear while trying to avoid being arrested

A police officer had to have surgery after he was bitten by a man trying to evade arrest.

Daniel Ward, 26, has been jailed for the attack on December 14 last year.

He bit the officer as he was being detained on suspicion of assault, and then threatened to bit his colleagues in custody after he was eventually restrained.

The attack happened in Bridge Street, Runcorn, Cheshire, on December 14.

Ward, of Norton Hill, later admitted wounding with intent, resisting arrest and a public order offence.

He also pleaded guilty to offences of robbery and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place after two teenagers had their bicycles stolen at knifepoint in a subway last January.

Ward was sentenced for all the offences at Chester Crown Court to Monday and jailed for 13 years, with an extended licence period of four years.

Detective Constable Nathaniel Walkowiak, of Runcorn local policing unit, said: ‘The nature of policing inevitably requires officers to deal with violent and challenging situations, but being assaulted by members of the public should never be looked upon as an acceptable ‘part of the job’.

‘Such incidents can have far-reaching effects, not only for the officer who has been assaulted and their loved ones but also for their colleagues and the communities we serve.

‘When an officer has been assaulted they may have to take time off work or be placed on restricted duties whilst they recover from the physical and psychological effects of the incident.

‘This increases pressures on other officers and can have a significant impact on the resourcing of incidents and the level of service we are able to provide to communities.

‘The custodial service that Ward has been handed reflects the severity of the offences he committed and I am pleased that he is now behind bars where he is no longer a threat to the public.’