A MAN who bit a police inspector after being caught burgling a mental health charity hostel will be sentenced in the crown court.

Harry George William French, 20, of Yarm Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court yesterday to assaulting a police officer and stealing computer equipment and a money box from the Mind hostel, in Borough Road, Darlington.

The court heard police were called to the hostel in the early hours of October 16 after an alarm went off in the building.

Police attending the scene found French trying to get through a small window at the front of the building. They pulled him back through the window and tried to arrest him.

During the course of the prolonged struggle, French bit Inspector Tony Avery on the right bicep.

Callum Terry, mitigating, said the burglary had not been planned and had been done on impulse.

Mr Terry said: "The assault on Inspector Avery was examined by a doctor and the skin had not been broken."

Magistrates' chairwoman Jean Johnson said French would have to be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court.

She said: "Because of the seriousness of this offence we don't feel our powers are sufficient and are therefore sending you straight to crown court."