A MAN who bit the ankle of the police officer who arrested him pleaded guilty to assault at Selby Magistrates Court.

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

Emma Pierce, prosecuting, said that 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 was 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."

Cooper was then arrested, but struggled with officers. He was quiet while he was in the police van but then bit the ankle of one of the officers when he was being moved.

Mark Thompson, mitigating, 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".

He said that 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, which led to the altercation with Mr Stephenson.

Mr Thompson said that Cooper had little recollection of events, but accepted that he must have bitten the officer.

The court heard Cooper had a number of previous convictions for drink-related offences, but Mr Thompson said these should not be taken into account as they had happened when he was a lot younger and drinking was no longer "his normal behaviour".

Raymond Carr, presiding, said that magistrates would adjourn sentencing to find out more information about the assault on the policeman.

Cooper will reappear before Selby magistrates on June 20.

Updated: 12:29 Friday, June 13, 2003