MAGISTRATES heard how a Tilbury woman was brutally beaten up by her partner - who then went on to assault a police by biting him.

Joseph Harman, 27, has been kept behind bars while his fate is considered but it is likely he will face a further prison sentence after pleading guilty to the offences.

Harman stared impassively at magistrates in Basildon as his vicious and unprovoked attack on Megan Davis was recounted by prosecutor Samantha Doyle.

His victim was left bloodied, bruised and extremely distressed after the attack which happened last Sunday.

The court heard that Harman was in a relationship with Ms Davis who arrived at her Tilbury home where she saw an attempt had been made to break down her door.

While she was weighing up what had happened Harman suddenly appeared and was described by Ms Davis as being in a drunk and aggressive condition.

Ms Doyle told the court: "He was shouting at her and grabbed her by the hair and punched her in the face with the full force of his fist.

"He broke her nose and ripped the extensions out of her hair before continuing to punch her in the face as hard as he could. He wasn't holding back.

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"She got free and ran into the street but he caught her and punched her again."

Eventually Ms Davis managed to escape and ran off - taking shelter in a friend's house.

Neighbours had alerted police to what was happening and when they attended the scene they found Harman and, despite his immediate denials that he had done anything wrong, eventually Ms Davis returned and he was arrested.

He was taken to Grays Police Station where his aggressive behavious again came to the fore and he shouted to officers that 'he was going to do all of them'.

Harman, a gardener employed by Newham Council and of Sheppey Road, Dagenham, then struck out at officers and in the course of the altercation bit PC Jacob Humphreys.

Despite an application to be released on bail, magistrates decided that the nature of the offences was so severe - and the risk of him further offending being real - that they remanded him in custody before sentencing.

A pre-sentence report will be prepared before he next appears in court on 11 December.