Man jailed for biting off part of Northampton PC's ear

Louey Kostromin has been convicted of 39 previous offences including previous assaults on police officers

A man who bit off part of a police officer's ear in a "terrifying" attack has been jailed for eight years.

Louey Kostromin was being arrested when he attacked PC Callum Burke on Bridge Street in Northampton in August.

The 37-year-old, of no fixed address, was found guilty at Northampton Crown Court of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Judge Adrienne Lucking QC said the impact on PC Burke had been "very substantial and ongoing".

Three police officers were called to the probation service at Walter Tull House in Northampton to arrest Kostromin who had been released from jail on licence. 

The court heard Kostromin punched the first officer who went to arrest him, then grabbed PC Burke and bit into his ear causing it to tear.

PC Burke told the trial that Kostromin "grabbed me by the neck" and said he felt a "throbbing, searing pain straight away" and was left with the top of his ear hanging off.

Kostromin also bit PC Burke's right arm and tried to bite his thigh.

The attacked happened at the probation service at Walter Tull House in Northampton

In a victim personal statement read out in court, PC Burke said he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and removed from front-line policing.

He said he "feels incapable because it's not what I signed up to do".

Judge Lucking said: "This was a terrifying incident for [PC Burke]."

Kostromin also pleaded guilty to common assault against another police officer for which he was sentenced to one month, to run concurrently to his other sentence.

He was sentenced in his absence, having refused to turn up to the video link from prison.

The court heard he had been convicted of 39 previous offences, including two assaults on police officers.

He has subsequently been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder.