A Northumbria University student has been charged after biting a police officer

A Northumbria University student has been in court this week after he bit the leg of a police officer in Freshers' Week.

Taylor Blanchard, 20, a Politics undergraduate at Northumbria University was handed a criminal record following the incident which occurred in the Cathedral Square area of the city centre on September 28th 2019.

The Newcastle Chronicle reported that Northumbria Police were dealing with a separate incident in the square near to a plethora of student hotspots when Blanchard, originally from Middlesborough, interrupted the police incident, in which he had no involvement.

Blanchard smashed a glass bottle, leaving fragments of glass on the pavement, before biting an officer on the leg.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and being drunk and disorderly.

Northumbria Police told The Newcastle Tab that police officers should never be put in this position.

A spokesperson said: "Officers come to work to protect the communities they serve, they expect to face dangerous situations and are ready to put public safety before their own. However, when they are faced with totally unnecessary levels of violence, those who commit such offences must be held to account."

Blanchard was ordered to pay a £120 fine and £50 in compensation to the officer, as well as £85 in court costs and a further £32 victim surcharge.

We have approached Northumbria University for comment.

Images credit: Instagram