A MAN was bitten twice on the arm as he restrained a suicidal 24-year-old who had been drinking heavily and taking drugs.

Mark Roper had tried to advise William Terry over his alcohol intake during a social evening at a house in Brook Farm Drive, Malvern.

But an ugly scene developed when Terry lost his temper and began ranting after taking medication for depression and pain killers, said Paul Whitfield, prosecuting.

When his sister Ellen Terry – Mr Roper’s girlfriend – attempted to calm her brother down, Terry fell to the floor, demanded his tablets back and warned he was going to end his life, Worcester Crown Court was told.

He grabbed his sister by the wrists before she sat on his legs and Mr Roper held his arms. Terry then bit Mr Roper, leaving puncture marks but did not draw blood.

Terry, of Dent Close, Worcester, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding.

Judge John Cavell told him: “The victim was trying to assist you, concerned for your welfare. But you got into such a violent state that you had to be restrained.”

The judge said the offence would normally be met with immediate custody, but it was a very unusual case of a defendant who had problems stemming from the past.

He gave Terry a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 18 months’ supervision by the probation service, designed to monitor his mental health issues and drink and drug abuse.

The offence happened on December 5 last year. Terry admitted to police it was “madness” but his memory of the offence was sketchy.

Mr Roper was taken to hospital for checks because Terry suffered from hepatitis. But there was no indication the victim was affected.

Defence barrister Sarah Buckingham said Terry had been through “an appalling childhood” and displayed tendencies towards suicide and self harm.

That night he was in a depressed state of mind and almost hysterical.

She said since then he had made improvements to his lifestyle and wanted to get well.