A POLICEMAN was bitten on the arm after being called to the home of a Suffolk teenager who was running naked around his garden covered in mud while hallucinating after taking drugs, a court has heard.

Alexander McKendrick was growling like a dog and shaking his head from side to side as he bit into Special Inspector Keith Miller’s arm near his elbow, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

The officer suffered a bite mark to his arm and subsequently had a worrying wait for the results of blood tests which established he hadn’t been infected with hepatitis during the attack.

McKendrick, 19, of St Phillips Road, Newmarket, admitted unlawfully wounding Sp Insp Miller and assaulting Pc Paul Crouch causing him actual bodily harm in July.

He was sentenced to 12 months youth detention suspended for two years, a two-year supervision order and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work in the community.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, said police were called to McKendrick’s home by his mother and sister who said he was “smashing the house up”.

When officers arrived they found the defendant naked and covered in mud in the garden.

He was screaming and shouting, and picked up a patio chair which he held above his head, Mr Sadd said.

The officers tried to calm him down without success and used a wheelie bin to defend themselves against him.

This didn’t work and McKendrick used the chair to attack the officers and then sunk his teeth into Sp Insp Miller’s arm.

After a struggle McKendrick was restrained and both officers suffered injuries, including tenderness and abrasions.

Joanne Eley, for McKendrick, said her client had no previous convictions and was lashing out because of the hallucinations he was experiencing after taking LSD.

She said he was filled with remorse and wished to apologise to the officers and to his mother and sister for his behaviour.

jane.hunt@eadt.co.uk