A DRUNK who bit a police officer's leg claimed he’d only given it a nibble.

Cameron McKay assaulted her as he was being arrested for throwing a stone at a friend’s window.

The 30-year-old was said to have told police at the time: “I didn’t bite you, I just nibbled you.”

McKay, who is currently being held in Bristol Prison, had gone round to the woman’s home earlier that evening with a bottle of spirits.

Prosecuting, Michelle Hewitt told Swindon magistrates that McKay was eventually asked to leave by the woman: “He came outside the property and threw a stone at her window, causing it to smash.” McKay was shouting to be let back in.

“The woman and her children were obviously upset and scared by his behaviour,” she said.

Police arrived at the house and tried to arrest McKay. An officer, Nia Tregunna, was bitten on the leg as she attempted to restrain him. The bite left no lasting redness, Ms Hewitt said.

Ben Worthington, defending, said his client had been invited to the house and turned up with a bottle of expensive liquor. “He has a bit more to drink when he’s there. Come about 10.30pm at night the complainant wants him out. He doesn’t particularly want to go. There’s a small fracas and he accepts he takes a rock and bashes a UVC window of the door. He bites one of the police officers who takes him to the floor.

“There’s not much more I can say. The case is relatively simple.”

The court heard Mr McKay had breached a previous suspended sentence order and was currently being held in prison pending another court hearing.

Magistrates remanded him in custody for a date to be fixed by the court.

Following the case, Wiltshire Police said: “Police officers and staff work tirelessly to protect the public, regularly putting themselves in harm’s way in order to do this.

"But being physically or verbally assaulted is not, and should never be considered as part of the job.

“Although initially calm and compliant, McKay soon became aggressive and refused to cooperate with officers.

"When in custody, he was obstructive and abusive, showing no respect for those around him. This behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Last year, it was revealed the number of assaults on Wiltshire Police officers had doubled in a year from 55 in 2016/17 more than 100 in 2017/18.

Chief Constable Kier Pritchard said there was no excuse for assaults on officers and such treatment should not be tolerated.