Genitalia bite leads to arrest

A MAN was arrested and charged after allegedly biting a police officer on the genitalia and attempting to grab a police firearm in Byron Bay.

About 10pm on Friday, police were called to the intersection of Jonson and Lawson streets, where they spoke to a man who alleged he was assaulted by a 43-year-old man with a metal pole.

Officers found the man and placed him under arrest.

He allegedly made verbal threats towards the arresting officers, before violently resisting arrest.

During the struggle the man tried to remove a police officer’s firearm from its holster.

He also allegedly took hold of and bit the genital area of one of the officers, and eye gouged another.

Police were assisted by security officers from a nearby licensed premises and the man was brought under control.

He was taken to Byron Bay Police Station where he is being charged with affray, resist police, assault police, and intimidate police.

The man appeared in Lismore Local Court on Saturday.

One officer suffered a burst blood vessel in his left eye, a swollen right hand, back pain and minor cuts. The other was left with bruising and cuts.