A WINSFORD man who bit and eye-gouged a police officer in a vicious drunken attack in the town centre has been sentenced to 20 weeks in prison.

James Cross, 29, of Lyndale Court, Winsford, became aggressive as two officers attempted to restrain and arrest him for being drunk and disorderly, on Saturday, June 25.

Police responded to reports of two men fighting in High Street, Winsford, at around 10pm that night and found Cross acting aggressively, and drunk and disorderly, when they arrived at the scene.

Cross tried to run away from officers but when they caught him he began to fight with them.

Despite officers trying to reason with the Winsford man, he lashed out against them, biting one officer on the arm and gouged at his eye, causing bleeding, bruising and reddening. He then attacked another officer resulting in minor scratches and cuts to the officer’s arms and leg.

Officers managed to restrain Cross, who was arrested and later sentenced for assaulting police officers at South Cheshire Magistrate’s Court in Crewe on Monday, June 27.

Chief Inspector Simon Meegan is happy with the 20-week sentence, stating that it reflects the ‘severity’ of the violent attack on the officers.

Chief Inspector Meegan said: “This was a vicious attack by Cross on officers after they responded to a 999 call for assistance.

“Thankfully both officers are recovering well and the custodial sentence reflects the severity of his actions.”