A man who attacked an off-duty police officer as he tried to arrest a suspected thief was yesterday locked up for nine months.

Ian Metcalfe was one of two people who pulled up in a car when Sergeant Alex Clarke was grappling with a teenager who was thought to have been riding a stolen scooter.

Metcalfe, 24, and accomplice Anthony Moore, 19, repeatedly punched the off-duty policeman which allowed suspect Craig Perry to break free to head-but and bite him before the attackers continued throwing blows.

Moore and Perry were both locked up for nine months at earlier hearings, and Metcalfe appeared at Teesside Crown Court today to admit unlawful wounding.

Judge Les Spittle was urged by defending barrister Ron Mitchell not to jail Metcalfe because he was of previous good character - unlike the other two - and had recently started a bricklaying and joinery course at college.

But Judge Spittle told him: "Police officers do a difficult enough job as it is and the only way they can be supported is if courts deal with people who attack them sufficiently.

"Mr Moore, who although had previous convictions, received nine months in a young offenders' institute and you were involved in exactly the same activity as him.

"Although you had no previous convictions, and I except you are of good character, in this instance it is what you did that is important, and what you did was knowingly become involved in attacking a police officer."

Prosecutor John Gillette said Sgt Clarke, 33, made it known throughout the incident that he was a police officer and at one point, a neighbour who had tried to come to his aid, also told the gang.

The attack, which left the officer needing four stitches in a head wound, happened on July 22 last year near Sgt Clarke's home in Hart Village, near Hartlepool.

Mr Mitchell said jailing Metcalfe, of Tankerville Street, Hartlepool, would have far-reaching effects and would deny him the chance to earn a good living in the future.

"He is as fearful of going into custody as anyone of previous good character would be," he told the judge.

Stg Clarke, who is married with a two-year-old daughter, returned to work at Darlington police station shortly after the attack and earned glowing tributes from his bosses.

Full story in The Northern Echo tomorrow.