A THUG who admitted biting a police officer’s arm seven times escaped a jail sentence on Friday.

Neil McArthur, 43, who assaulted PC David Rae in Glasgow’s Cowcaddens on September 30 2019 was instead fined £200 and ordered to pay £400 compensation.

Glasgow Sheriff court heard that PC Rae struggled to stop McArthur biting him during the melee and was left with extensive bruises.

First offender McArthur, of Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, pleaded guilty to the assault to PC Rae’s injury.

Glasgow Times:

Sheriff Daniel Kelly fined McArthur, a Hermes courier employee and ordered him to pay compensation to his victim.

Sheriff Kelly told McArthur: “This type of offending can attract periods of imprisonment.

“I take into account that you are a genuine first offender and this appears to be a drunken moment of madness on your part but this isn’t any consolation to the officer involved.”

The court heard McArthur was arrested for a separate offence and became agitated while in Milton Street.

Prosecutor Darren Harty said: “Due to the proximity of the officer, the accused took the opportunity to bite him on the upper arm.

“The officer was examined and had seven individual bite marks.

“Upwards of three of them broke into the skin and left extensive bruising.”

Lawyer Alan Murray, defending, told the court McArthur had been drinking with a friend that day while fitting a door.

Mr Murray said: “He says his next recollection was waking up in a cell.

“He was told by his friend that through drink he tripped over his tool box and banged his head.

“He is not against the police and is very supportive of them, this is very out of character for him.”