Sutton man bit police officer while protesting his innocence

Jay Lapko scuffled with another man in Mansfield town centre and became aggressive when issued with a section 35 notice to leave the area, on September 3.

Prosecutor Alexis Mercer said Lapko, aged 33, tried to run into the Widow Frost pub but the doors were shut and he was taken to the ground.

He bit the officer, breaking the skin and causing it to bleed, and continued to strain his head to bite again before the officer punched him twice in the head.

He went "dead-weight" as he was carried to the van and was taken to hospital for treatment before spending the night in the cells.

Pari Seeley, mitigating, said Lapko, a dad-of-four and of previous good character, had been celebrating his wife's birthday and had something to drink when he accidentally bumped into somebody.

"No harm was meant but that person took exception and started to become aggressive," she said.

"He was trying to usher himself and his wife away when the police arrived. The altercation had stopped.

"He was upset because he didn't think he had done anything wrong. He was trying to protest his innocence.

"The officers didn't have the time or the inclination to get to the bottom of it. He can't really explain why he became aggressive.

"Such were his injuries he had to be taken to hospital as a result of being punched by the officers. He wasn’t able to eat properly for two weeks. He has nerve damage in his fingers because of the handcuffs."

Lapko, of Fern Street, Sutton, admitted assaulting a police officer when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Tuesday.

The presiding magistrate said: "I think you would be the first person to admit that biting a police officer isn't the most sensible thing to do."

He was fined £650 and ordered to pay £50 compensation to the officer, as well as a £260 surcharge and £85 court costs.