STRIKING his former partner, biting through a pub landlord's fingers and grabbing a police officer by the testicles has landed a man in prison for two years.

Trevor Simpson, 57, was sentenced at the Isle of Wight Crown Court last Thursday after he admitted three counts of assault.

The court heard he travelled to Ryde from his home in Bournemouth to look for his former partner, who had moved to the Island to get away from him.

He tracked her down on the afternoon of April 6 at the King Lud pub after asking after her whereabouts around the town.

CCTV footage played to the court showed Simpson taking her outside and shouting at her, before striking her face, grabbing, and shaking her.

Landlord Ben Reed then ran towards Simpson from behind, before leaping from a table and placing him in a headlock while in mid-air, bringing him to the ground.

The court heard Simpson then bit into Mr Reed's finger, fracturing the bone.

Prosecutor Kelly Brocklehurst said: "From the moment he walked into that pub Mr Simpson's body language is obviously aggressive.

"There then comes a point where it seems Mr Reed's finger is then bitten into by Mr Simpson, right down to the bone."

Police shortly arrived at the scene but, upon being arrested, Simpson began resisting.

Mr Brocklehurst said: "There then comes a point where he says to one of the officers, 'I'm going to grab you by the testicles,' and so he does."

Defending, Rose Barns said prior to the incident Simpson had repeatedly sent messages to his former partner an attempt to find her.

She said: "He went to four different pubs looking for her and, unfortunately, had some pints at every pub.

"He just wanted to remonstrate her, but unfortunately he saw red, and he has told me that he is very ashamed."

Judge Adam Vaitilingham said: "Your relationship had ended and so she moved to the Island to get away from you. "The reality is you tracked her down, and it is true Mr Reed was aggressive to you, but he was merely reacting to your aggression."

Simpson was jailed for two years and given a restraining order, banning him from contacting his former partner.