A THUG bit one of the police officers scrambled to a Swindon park after reports of threats being made to a dog walker.

Special constable Stephen Proctor was left with a flap of skin hanging from his finger after Behar Kasemi wrapped his teeth around the officer’s hand, Swindon Crown Court heard.

The volunteer police officer, who has been doing the job for seven years, had to have a series of blood tests and was told by doctors that the consequence of a human bite could be more serious than a dog bite.

In a victim statement he said: “I do this job because I love it and enjoy the fulfilment of helping people.”

Prosecuting, Hannah Squire said Mr Proctor was one of a large number of officers sent to a public order incident on Tattershall, west Swindon, on October involving Kasemi and a dog walker.

Ms Squire would not detail the nature of the incident, which has seen no charges brought against Kasemi, merely saying words had been exchanged. But the incident was taken so seriously a significant number of officers were sent.

“When Stephen Proctor arrived other officers were already at the scene but Mr Kasemi was agitated,” she said.

“Two traffic officers were there trying to restrain him.

“SPC Proctor went over to assist as they wanted to detain him. He made it very difficult for all the officers at the scene.”

Kasemi began to fight with Mr Proctor, but officers managed to grapple the suspect to the ground.

Mr Proctor saw Kasemi move his head as if to bite him. Initially, the officer did not realise he had been attacked. It was only when he saw the blood that he realised he had been bitten.

Ms Squire said: “He was put on antibiotics by the hospital and was told a human bite can be worse than a dog bite, so specific precautions need to be taken.”

Kasemi, 46, of Maidstone Road, Old Town, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Emma Handslip, defending, said her client had been in a bad mood and was on his way back from work where he had argued with his boss.

He was remorseful and had apologised to the officer at the scene. Having had poor experience of the police in the past, Kasemi reacted badly to instructions from the officers.

Sentencing him to nine months imprisonment, Judge Taylor said: “To use the colloquial you kicked off and you kicked off to such a degree a special constable, who was volunteering his free time because he loved helping people, went to assist officers.

“You were warned by him not to start [fighting], you then did. You were taken to the floor.

“You were warned by him not to bite, but you did.”

Reacting to the case, Insp Louis McCoy of the Swindon community policing team said: “This court case is just another example highlighting the potential dangers that our officers and staff face when they are out and about, responding to 999 calls and dealing with members of the public.

“It is unacceptable, and our teams should not have to put up with abuse and violence.

“In a way it is even more upsetting that this has happened to one of our specials.

“These are people who give up their time for free and are actively trying to help their local community.

“They play a vital role in assisting us with our local policing, and are an important and well-regarded asset for our community policing teams.”