A south Essex drug dealer who bit a female police officer has walked free after telling the court he was now volunteering in a charity shop.
Ashley Gordon, 23, of The Clusters, Southend, subjected the officer to “excruciating pain” when he sank his teeth into her hand as she tried to retrieve three wraps of cocaine from his mouth.
Officers had feared he would swallow them, possibly endangering his own health whilst also destroying evidence.
Gordon had two prior convictions and one caution on his criminal record. All three were also for assaulting police officers.
When police raided his home after the biting incident, they found a stash of Class A and B drugs.
Police spotted Gordon acting suspiciously in Southend on June 2 and tried to stop him, but he sped away from them on his bicycle.
Officers caught up to him after he crashed into a car. As they tried to apprehend him, they spotted drugs in his mouth.
“You were reluctant to either spit them out or take them out of your mouth and hand them to police,” said Judge Samantha Cohen.
“It’s difficult for somebody watching that body worn footage to know what was going on in your mind. You looked to be in total panic.
“I have watched the body worn video. The officers are calm and appropriate – in fact, in some respects they are attempting to be good humoured with you.
“Your reaction to this was to lunge at her hand and bite her fingers. It was a persistent bit and you chomped down on her fingers, leaving marks where your teeth had been.
“She reacted by screaming and being in what sounded for a few moments to be excruciating pain.”
A search warrant executed at Gordon’s home uncovered 21 bags and three tickets of cocaine, plus quantities of MDMA (ecstasy) and cannabis.
He was charged with two counts of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply, one count of possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply, and one charge of assaulting a police officer.
He pleaded guilty to all four.
Defence barrister Charlotte Davison said Gordon was voluntarily begun attending the drug service STARS (Southend Treatment and Recovery Service), where he was both seeking help and volunteering, having helped redecorate their premises.
He was also now volunteering in a British Heart Foundation charity shop.
Gordon, who had learning difficulties and numerous mental health conditions, had left school with “very limited qualifications” and never worked, she said.
He was currently living on Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
However, he now wanted to go back to college, try to gain his maths and English qualifications, then pursue a career in the fitness industry.
He had also asked for help to relocate to a different area, so as to keep him away from negative influences.
Judge Cohen sentenced him to 22 months in prison for the drugs offences with four months consecutive for biting the policewoman.
But she suspended the 26-month jail term for 30 months.
“I have decided that you represent a realistic prospect of rehabilitation,” she said.
She ordered Gordon to undergo a 12-month mental health treatment programme, up to 25 rehabilitation activity days, and comply with an electronically monitored 6pm to 6am curfew for three months.
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