A MAN who bit the ankle of the police officer who arrested him at a Selby nightclub has been ordered to complete 80 hours community punishment.

Dean Cooper, 24, of Beech Croft, Barlby, told Selby magistrates he could not remember the incident, which took place after he was arrested at Jems Nightclub on May 31.

He pleaded guilty on June 12 to assault and using threatening, abusive and insulting words and behaviour, but magistrates adjourned sentence while more details were obtained of the injury inflicted.

Cooper was arrested when police were called to the club at 11.45am following an incident between Cooper and one of the bouncers, Stuart Stephenson.

When officers arrived, Mr Stephenson was restraining Cooper who was acting in an aggressive manner and described as "blowing hot and cold".

Officers pulled the pair apart but Cooper grabbed Mr Stephenson and said: "I am going to bite your face off."

Helen Dawson, prosecuting, said Cooper was then arrested, but struggled with officers. He butted the sides of the police van he was being transported in and bit the ankle of PC Eric Davies when he was being moved.

On his last appearance, Cooper's solicitor told the court that Cooper felt "extremely ashamed" of his behaviour that night, which he put down to "a cocktail of alcohol and his emotions running extremely high".

Cooper was on a night out to honour a friend who had died in Northern Ireland, when he was ejected from Jems Nightclub by bouncers, and this led to the altercation with Mr Stephenson.

Jane Pattison, representing Cooper, said there had been no response from the police to inquiries about the assault so she could only assume that "no injury had been sustained".

Tony Hargreaves, presiding, ordered that Cooper undertake 30 hours community punishment for the assault and 50 hours for the threatening words and behaviour.

He made no order for compensation to be paid, but Cooper was given 28 days to pay £60 costs.

Updated: 12:11 Saturday, June 21, 2003