A KENT police officer fears he may have contracted HIV or the hepatitis virus after a man he was arresting sank his teeth into the his thigh.

Because Sgt Tristan Stevens did not get immediate treatment for the bite, he has to wait between three and six months to find out if he has been infected.

A court has awarded Sgt Stevens £1,500 in compensation after hearing in his victim impact statement that the fears of infection had stopped his sex life and made him anxious.

Ashford magistrates gave gas fitter Graeme Horan, of The Parade, Greatstone, near Folkestone, a 180-day prison sentence suspended for two years after the 24-year-old admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Sgt Stevens said: “His actions were despicable and should not be tolerated. I am recently married and I am unable to enjoy any sexual act for fear of infecting my wife. I am missing out.”

He also said he was in mental torment as he waited for the results of his tests to be made known.

Tom Bragge, prosecuting, said Horan became violent at his mother’s home in New Romney and squared up to her partner Henry Mills, whom he punched.

Horan also admitted assaulting his mother’s partner and was jailed for 60 days running concurrently and also suspended for two years.

He was ordered to pay Mr Mills £500 compensation for his injuries. No further penalties were made on two admissions of possessing cannabis and being drunk and disorderly.

Tahir Saeed, defending, said victim impact statements tended to be very one-sided and suggested his client had been injured himself. “He is very disgusted at his own behaviour and most of his problems can be put down to drink,” he added.

Bench Chairman David Davies, sentencing, told Horan: “You had a serious effect on this policeman’s life and you behaved in an appalling way. Your behaviour when drunk is dreadful and you are totally responsible for that yourself.”

Horan was also made subject of a one-year supervision order and ordered to pay £100 costs.