A man who bit a police officer's leg after being arrested for failing to leave an Orange pub is appealing a jail sentence he was given in Orange Local Court.
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Hotel staff were trying to remove Kegan Horton, 33, of Kurim Avenue, from the Metro Hotel due to his behaviour towards other patrons about 8.55pm on December 17 when he attracted the attention of passing police.
He was on the verandah and got into a push and shove with another patron when the police stopped and contacted other police officers for assistance.
Magistrate David Day said it was a "disgusting bite" and noted Horton's criminal record, which included prior stints in jail.
"Mr Horton has convictions for violence and he has convictions for violence [against] police officers," Mr Day said.
Mr Day said police officers often do a "thankless task" and assaulting police is a serious offence and general deterrence is at the forefront for sentencing.
According to police, a staff member asked them to get an ambulance saying Horton had been knocked unconscious when he hit his head on a seat during a fight with another patron, and he appeared to have blood on one of his elbows.
The employee said he appeared to be unconscious for a couple of seconds before getting back up.
Horton appeared to be drunk and uncooperative. He refused to give his name to the police but another man told them his identity, which made Horton angry.
Police arrested him for refusing to leave the hotel and her tried to pull out of a Senior Constable's grip. He was taken to Orange Police Station but refused to go into the custody area.
He was dragged inside and while on the ground he grabbed a Senior Constable's leg and said "I'll bite you".
Horton then bit the Senior Constable's leg and other police had to pull his head back to make him let go.
It took six police to handcuff him and, while handcuffed, his hands and head were against a door resulting in cuts to his wrist and then he urinated in the dock.
The police officer sustained two puncture marks on his leg from the bite.
Solicitor Katarina Duncan said Horton told her he stopped drinking following the incident, aside from two drinks at Christmas.
Mr Day sentenced Horton to seven months' jail with a three-month non parole period for biting the police officer. However, he granted Horton bail for a severity appeal.
Mr Day also fined him $220 for failing to leave the hotel when instructed to and he placed Horton on an 18-month Community Correction Order requiring alcohol rehabilitation for resisting arrested.
However, he noted that Horton appeared to have good prospects for rehabilitation and he entered early guilty pleas.
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