Man who bit police officer is jailed

Shane Tune, 39, carried out the assault after being taken into custody at Skegness police station on August 11 last year.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Tune had been detained on South Parade because he was wanted on a warrant for return to prison.

Noel Philo, prosecuting, said Tune was taken to the police station and bit the officer on the hand after a small package fell from his trousers.

Mr Philo told the court: "It wasn't a very grave bite but it did break the skin.

"It was known this man had suffered from Hepatitis C and caused a great deal of alarm in the officer."

Mr Philo said the officer was now clear of any infection risk and back on duty.

Tune, of no fixed address, admitted a charge of assaulting an emergency worker on 11 August, 2023.

Neil Sands, mitigating, argued Tune did not intend to put the officer in fear of infection.

"At that time he had received medication for Hepatitis C and was clear of it," Mr Sands said.

"That does not help the anxiety of the officer, but in his mind he was clear and would not have chosen to put the officer through that."

Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told Tune his offending was aggravated by his long criminal history.

Judge Hirst said: "The officer believed for good reason you had Hepatitis C. He had injections but it caused him great fear and anxiety."

The court heard Tune is currently serving a sentence for drugs trafficking and will serve his eight month sentence consecutively to that matter.