A DRUNK man who hurled a phone charger at a police officer and bit his hand has been handed a 12-month community order.

Acting police sergeant Robert Fisher was called to break up a row between Tashinga Mangurenje and his mother at their home in Temple Cowley at about 9.15pm on Tuesday, June 9.

Arriving at the home in Owens Way he found Mangurenje drunk and asked him to leave, so the 29-year-old went outside to nearby Temple Road, a court heard.

Sarah Mackay, prosecuting, told Oxford Magistrates’ Court that when PS Fisher went outside Mangurenje was swearing and abusive.

She said: “He was very drunk and was unsteady on his feet.”

When PS Fisher approached him he was swinging a mobile phone charger around then hurled it at the officer, striking him in the chest.

PS Fisher went to arrest him, but Mangurenje began lashing out and sank his teeth into PS Fisher’s finger, the court was told.

When interviewed Mangurenje said he feared the police were trying to rape him. Kate Macnab, defending, said this was due to his anxiety and alcohol problems. She added: “It has worsened in proportion with his mother having treatment for cancer. The court will understand this was a very spontaneous offence at a time when the defendant was genuinely in fear for his own safety.”

Unemployed Murgarenje admitted one count of assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty at the hearing on Thursday. A panel of magistrates, chaired by Mike Bartlam, handed Mangurenje a year-long community order with a nine-month alcohol treatment requirement.